The threat of homelessness knows no boundaries.
Advocates, such as the National Coalition for the Homeless, refer to the problem they’re working to solve as America’s forgotten tragedy.
But there are those who are making sure the tragedy is remembered, and hope for tomorrow is restored.
The leaders of Seven Hills, a nonprofi t organization thatoperates a homeless center in Fayetteville, recognize the needs and the opportunities to help extend far beyond the city’s borders.
That’s why they’ve created go7, a program through which staff members and volunteers use a truck and trailer to travel to rural communities in the region to help wherever they can.
A recent Arkansas Democrat-Gazette report detailed how the group ventured to Gravette, in Benton County, to hand out blankets, food and hygiene items.
Does their presence in a town mean there are people living on the street or in tents there?
Not necessarily. A big part of their pursuits is finding people at risk of becoming homeless and giving them help to avoid that fate. These are people living temporarily with friends or family, who do not have the sense of peace only a solid, predictable place to live can give.
Yes, the need extends beyond Fayetteville.
Indeed, it’s throughout the nation. But Seven Hills is working to do what it can locally to make people aware of resources that can help.
Seven Hills off ers financial planning, life-skills training and mentoring for students in addition to providing some of the basics people in a crisis may need, whether it’s food, clothing or other supplies.
The organization envisions go7’s debut as a small starting point and hope to grow its ability to respond to other rural communities. Along with Gravette, they’ve done work in Prairie Grove.
Seven Hills plans to expand to three more communities by June and work with school districts to meet the needs of students who are homeless or at risk.
Although homelessness knows no boundaries, we’re fortunate to have an organization that recognizes its efforts need not be limited by them either.
CASUALTIES OF WAR
To honor the men and women in our armed forces and remind our readers of their sacrifi ces, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers is publishing Department of Defense announcements identifying Americans killed in active military operations.
Staff Sgt. Jessica M. Wing, 42, of Alexandria, Va., died Aug. 27 in Kuwait City, Kuwait, in a noncombat-related incident.
She was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126thAviation Regiment, Bangor, Maine.
Spc. Kyle R. Rookey, 23, of Oswego, N.Y., died Sept. 2 in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, from a noncombat-related incident.
He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Staff Sgt. Jeremie S. Border, 28, of Mesquite, Texas, and Staff Sgt. Jonathan P. Schmidt, 28, of Petersburg, Va., died Sept. 1 in Batur Village, Afghanistan, of wounds suff ered when enemy forces attacked their unit with small arms fire. Border was assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Torii Station, Japan, and Schmidt was assigned to 192nd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, 20th Support Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 09/24/2012