Large cardboard boxes lined Civic Plaza in Downtown Elkhart Friday. The County's Homeless Coalition sponsored its annual Box City event in recognition of hunger and homelessness awareness month. There are over 18,000 homeless living in Indiana on any given day.
Members of the coalition say that an increase in house foreclosures and unemployment means more and more people are losing their homes for the first time this winter.
“What I want people to understand is that homelessness is real, especially this time of year,” says Jenifer Doty from the Elkhart County Homeless Coalition. “It's cold and there are children. There are single men, single women, and the fastest growing population of homelessness is families.”
The Homeless Coalition has been collecting donations of candles, hats, scarves, and winter coats throughout November.
For more information on how to give, contact your local agency.
