Students at Notre Dame High School took a brief moment to live the life of the homeless on Friday night.
A group of 47 students participated in Hungry for the Homeless, an event which saw the kids stay outside for several hours on Nov. 13 collecting food and monetary donations for the local food bank.
“I think it was really meaningful. It was a chance for them to take a footstep in someone else's shoes,” said NDHS Principal Pamela Guilbault. “We do generally lead privileged lifestyles, so this was an opportunity for them to experience (homelessness) so they could better understand it.”
Students in the Religion 15 class went outside at 3:30 p.m. and stood on the street corner asking for donations to help the homeless. The group would occasionally break and go inside for presentations from guest speakers. A pastor, as well as representatives from the Bonnyville Native Friendship Centre and Margaret Savage Crisis Centre took time to address the students about the issue of homelessness in the community.
“This experience has changed my outlook on what is happening in Bonnyville,” said Grade 10 student Kailee Popowich.
“I usually didn't think there was much we could do to help, but just in the first hour of standing out there it made me feel really good about what we are doing and I want to do more.”
Popowich and her fellow classmates were given a small glimpse at what it might be like to be homeless. They stood outside in the cold for hours, and were send through a food line when it was time to grab dinner.
The realities of the food line were felt by Popowich and her friends as the line shut down, running out of food before they could get anything to eat.
“Now we get what it feels like to be like them,” said Popowich.
After getting shutout from the soup and sandwiches, some of the other students involved offered to share their meals, ripping sandwiches in half and making sure their classmates were fed.
“It touched my heart. I am humbled by the generosity in their spirits,” said Guilbault, who later reopened the food line and made sure every student was fed.
While the students received an eye-opening experience, the main goal of the event was to collect food and monetary donations for the local food bank.
The foyer inside the school was littered with a variety of can goods and other donations the students were able to collect.
“It is more than I thought we would have,” said Grade 10 student Xavier Smith. “The money donations that we have got from the cars passing by have been monumental.”
Smith had a different outlook on the situation saying that he once had to rely on the generosity of others.
“I have been so privileged in times in my life but I have also been reliant on the food bank,” said Smith. “Anytime I get to help the homeless I do, even if it is just buying a hamburger for them or giving out old clothes.”
Many involved with the event seemed to fell it was a success, as it gave the students a new perspective and allowed them to help out those in need.
“I think it has impacted them and changed their lives for the better,” said Guilbault.
