2008 Woodie Awards
Students meet the homeless downtown
Julie Wootton, News Editor
Issue date: 2/20/07
Last Updated: 8/9/07
"Some people here have a lack of trust as the result of dependency," Schwab said. "Some are not yet independent and they attach to substances, not people."
Walking tour of Spokane
After Schwab's introduction to homelessness, we set out for a two-hour walking tour observing life in downtown Spokane.
We saw the contrast between the beauty and extravagance of places like The Davenport and the low-income housing that surrounds it.
One of the places we walked through was the Otis, a low-income housing facility. The Otis was built as a hotel in the early 1900s.
We observed the atmosphere at the Otis - the scents, the noise of wrestling on T.V. and run-down hallways with common bathrooms.
After returning to The House of Charity, we slept on the floor in the conference room.
Saturday interaction
One of the most meaningful parts of Urban Plunge was interacting with the homeless who were utilizing the services provided by The House of Charity. On Saturday, we split into smaller groups and chatted with people in the cafeteria over meals.
Each person had a unique story about how they ended up homeless. For some, homelessness had been a part of their lives for more than 10 years, but others saw it as temporary.
"This is just a stepping stone to the next stage in my life," one man said.
Getting the conversation started was the hardest part, but the rest of the conversation came relatively easily. Many people were genuinely friendly and kind and were willing to share their experiences and offer advice.
I listened to one man's story of his childhood living in a foster home. He told us about his experience trying to learn Spanish in eighth grade and how learning in the school environment did not come naturally for him. However, he said if he could, he would love to go back to school and continue his education.
He attended University of Montana, worked as a car mechanic and then at an insurance company.
Walking tour of Spokane
After Schwab's introduction to homelessness, we set out for a two-hour walking tour observing life in downtown Spokane.
We saw the contrast between the beauty and extravagance of places like The Davenport and the low-income housing that surrounds it.
One of the places we walked through was the Otis, a low-income housing facility. The Otis was built as a hotel in the early 1900s.
We observed the atmosphere at the Otis - the scents, the noise of wrestling on T.V. and run-down hallways with common bathrooms.
After returning to The House of Charity, we slept on the floor in the conference room.
Saturday interaction
One of the most meaningful parts of Urban Plunge was interacting with the homeless who were utilizing the services provided by The House of Charity. On Saturday, we split into smaller groups and chatted with people in the cafeteria over meals.
Each person had a unique story about how they ended up homeless. For some, homelessness had been a part of their lives for more than 10 years, but others saw it as temporary.
"This is just a stepping stone to the next stage in my life," one man said.
Getting the conversation started was the hardest part, but the rest of the conversation came relatively easily. Many people were genuinely friendly and kind and were willing to share their experiences and offer advice.
I listened to one man's story of his childhood living in a foster home. He told us about his experience trying to learn Spanish in eighth grade and how learning in the school environment did not come naturally for him. However, he said if he could, he would love to go back to school and continue his education.
He attended University of Montana, worked as a car mechanic and then at an insurance company.
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