Thinking outside the box about the homeless

On the University of New Hampshire's campus, the only cardboard boxes found are lined up beside trashcans or recycling bins. But students passing by the Thompson Hall lawn on Thursday night noticed several cardboard boxes dotting the field.

Oxfam, a UNH student organization, sponsored "A Night Without a Home," an event to educate the UNH community about the homeless. Students were invited to participate in a box-making competition and spend the night sleeping on the Thompson Hall lawn.

"It was quite an experience, I stayed the whole night in the heavy rain 'till 6:30 a.m. in the morning," said Richard Drenkhahn. "It was pretty cold and very wet, we would wake up in the middle of the night several times to duct tape a leak but it was almost a never ending battle and we went through a whole roll of the duct tape. It was quite an experience and I can't imagine how some people survive doing it for more the one night."

The students had a strong reaction to the speakers and were shocked by the statistics coming from their own state. Each night in Manchester, N.H., there are nearly 2,000 people homeless. Many homeless are children who have aged out of the foster care system, young families struggling with children, or elderly whose rent has run beyond their means.

"They gave some statistics I didn't know about. It really opens your eyes. I don't know --it makes you want to do more," said sophomore Samantha Ward.

Ward and three friends heard about the event through an acquaintance and spent the night on the lawn.

Students formed small groups of four or five to construct shelters out of cardboard boxes and duct tape, and each box was adorned with a statistic to demonstrate the harsh reality of life on the streets. The night consisted of a box building competition, with several speakers who work directly with the local homeless population stopping in to address the participants.

"Even though it's a sad subject, [the decorations] bring a little joy to it," Ward said, showing their Christmas-themed box.

Although many cases involving the homeless involve addiction, the speakers made it clear that it is not addiction alone that forces people to the streets. The number one cause of homelessness in New Hampshire is the lack of affordable housing, a concept many college students have yet to face. Over the past several years, southern New Hampshire has seen a 37 percent increase in rent. A person needs to make nearly $18 an hour to afford rent, which averages about $978 per month.

The homeless face even more adversity on the streets. Cindy Carlson, a representative from the New Hampshire Coalition for the Homeless, told the students about "bump stomping." When homeless men or women are asleep on the sidewalk, they face the danger of being randomly targeted and assaulted.

Carlson spoke of a man she worked with who was currently in a coma after being attacked over the summer. Pictures were shared showing small tents, and other scenes depicting the life of the homeless population of New Hampshire.

"Continue what you're doing and keep getting your education here," Carlson told students as they spread duct tape across their boxes and headed out into the rainy night.

The speakers had one clear message for the students: sometimes the smallest act of caring will make the largest impact. They encouraged students to simply take a minute out of their day and to reconsider their interactions with others. "A Night Without A Home" offered a chance for students to learn the background of many homeless people across both the state and the country.

"I think the personal contact, how important that is [was the most important part of the speakers]. It's giving them a sense of dignity which I don't think they get a lot of," said Jenny Cook, co-president of Oxfam.

Despite the colorful designs and light atmosphere, the event made students aware of the harsh prospects the homeless community faces on a daily basis.