MONROE - Some of the youth from St. John's United Church of Christ were able to see for themselves what it's like to be homeless.
Six teens visited the Repairs of the Breach homeless shelter Nov. 29 in Milwaukee to pass out clothing and other items to people who don't have homes. It was an eye-opening experience for some, and a way for others to help people less fortunate than themselves.
"It wasn't what I expected," Cole Lancaster, 16, said. "I wanted to see what the rest of the world is like. People in Africa don't have a lot. I'll probably never get to Africa, so this was a way to see how other people live."
Instead, what he found were people who needed some help and were appreciative of the assistance from students from Monroe.
Nicole Engerman and Sarah Gothard, both 15, have been to the shelter before and wanted to go again, they said.
"When I went before it was really, really fun," Engerman said
"It was a good experience," Gothard added.
Jessica Hughes, 17, also has been to the shelter before. She said it was important for her, as a senior, to persuade others to go.
"I was able to see their view on homelessness change," she said.
This was the group's third trip to the shelter. From 11 a.m. until about 3:30 p.m. they passed out clothing and hygienic items to people who came in for help.
"Everybody there was really friendly," Engerman said. "They thanked us a million times."
Engerman said she gave a package of shirts to a woman who needed them for her son.
"She thanked me, like, a billion times," she said. "Even when we gave things to other people, other people thanked us for helping."
Gothard said everyone at the shelter was like a family. If one person had extra in their bag they gave it to someone else.
"It's a unique place," Hughes said. "Everyone who helps there has been homeless except for the Sister who runs it."
Everybody wanted a coat, Engerman said.
"As soon as I put a coat on the rack it was gone," she said.
The group plans to go back again next month to take some clothing items to the shelter. They hope to visit the shelter every month.
"I really felt that place teaches us a lot," Hughes said.
Six teens visited the Repairs of the Breach homeless shelter Nov. 29 in Milwaukee to pass out clothing and other items to people who don't have homes. It was an eye-opening experience for some, and a way for others to help people less fortunate than themselves.
"It wasn't what I expected," Cole Lancaster, 16, said. "I wanted to see what the rest of the world is like. People in Africa don't have a lot. I'll probably never get to Africa, so this was a way to see how other people live."
Instead, what he found were people who needed some help and were appreciative of the assistance from students from Monroe.
Nicole Engerman and Sarah Gothard, both 15, have been to the shelter before and wanted to go again, they said.
"When I went before it was really, really fun," Engerman said
"It was a good experience," Gothard added.
Jessica Hughes, 17, also has been to the shelter before. She said it was important for her, as a senior, to persuade others to go.
"I was able to see their view on homelessness change," she said.
This was the group's third trip to the shelter. From 11 a.m. until about 3:30 p.m. they passed out clothing and hygienic items to people who came in for help.
"Everybody there was really friendly," Engerman said. "They thanked us a million times."
Engerman said she gave a package of shirts to a woman who needed them for her son.
"She thanked me, like, a billion times," she said. "Even when we gave things to other people, other people thanked us for helping."
Gothard said everyone at the shelter was like a family. If one person had extra in their bag they gave it to someone else.
"It's a unique place," Hughes said. "Everyone who helps there has been homeless except for the Sister who runs it."
Everybody wanted a coat, Engerman said.
"As soon as I put a coat on the rack it was gone," she said.
The group plans to go back again next month to take some clothing items to the shelter. They hope to visit the shelter every month.
"I really felt that place teaches us a lot," Hughes said.