Community Headlines

Teens go homeless for a night

Posted: 10:12 PM Nov 17, 2012
Reporter: KKCO News Room

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -- Last night local youth are learned first hand what it feels like to be homeless for a night.

Nearly 60 teenagers constructed their homes for the night out of cardboard boxes at the corner of 5th Street and Grand Avenue.

After constructing their homes, the teens set out in the community to feed the homeless at Homeward Bound and do various other volunteer work around town. All of this was to raise awareness for the homeless in our community.

The director of youth ministries, Emily Kempton, said that both teens and parents were concerned about the project.

Nearly half of her group did not come the event.

"The youth are uncomfortable with it as well. But by morning time, we will be able to relate to the homeless community in a way that we haven't been able to do before," said Kempton.

At 3 in the morning, the teens got an unexpected interruption from the police department to further show what the homeless might go through.
Kempton hopes that the project will inspire the teens to further help the homeless community in the future.