83: Enlighten Me on Homelessness in America - Part 1

Half a million. That’s the approximate number of people living without addresses in the United States. And that number is closer to billions when we look from a global scale! To say that homelessness is a crisis is an understatement. Sometimes, this problem feels way too big to even solve, but the ministry that Melany Jackson started says otherwise.

C-U at Home exists to serve folks without an address in the Central Illinois community. While most of you listening to this episode likely don’t live there, the principles of Melany’s nonprofit can apply no matter where we live! Today on the show, Melany is sharing the journey of starting this organization and how it has grown over the years. She’s sharing about some of the key components of their services and the events they hold, including an event that literally gets hundreds of people from the community sleeping in boxes on the street in the middle of a Midwest winter. This organization is having a tremendous impact in a region that needs it, and we can all learn from it!

Next week in Part 2, Melany is going to share about what we can do to help with the epidemic of homelessness wherever we’re located. We’ve all been approached by people asking for money on the streets, and for many of us we’re left wondering what the “right” thing to do in these situations is. Melany’s addressing this and more next week! My biggest takeaway from today, though, is that it’s all about relationships. As Melany puts it, there isn’t a 12-step program that is going to fix the issue overnight. Instead, it’s about investing in people to breed real, systemic change that sticks! You’re going to be inspired once you hear about Melany’s approach to doing this.

Links from the show:

Chews Happiness:

https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1709783&u=2650427&m=101836&urllink=&afftrack=

The Canteen Run:

http://www.cucanteenrun.org/

100,000 Homes Campaign:

https://world-habitat.org/world-habitat-awards/winners-and-finalists/the-100000-homes-campaign/

CU at Home:

https://www.cuathome.us/

The Phoenix: Hope is Rising documentary:

http://www.thephoenixhopeisrising.com/

Connect with Mackenzie:

Instagram: @theheartfelthippie // @the.enlightenme.podcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theheartfelthippie/

Website: www.heartfelthippie.com

Email: [e-mail]

Connect with Melany:

Book: www.morethanenoughthebook.com