“We have to integrate fundamental change in our systemic approach to a number of things like education, like poverty,” Huckleberry House’s executive director Becky Westerfelt told the audience attending a panel discussion, “The Unexpected Face of Homelessness: Teens on the Street,” hosted by the Columbus Metropolitan Club.
During the discussion, Becky challenged attendees to start thinking of youth homelessness as the community’s issue and asked everyone to get involved.
In an effort to continue the theme of broader community engagement, we are holding a small open house/lunch at the Huck House crisis shelter for people who may be interested in thinking about how people not in the “system” can support the work. The framing question will focus on how to make it easier for kids to access help and how we use community resources to address youth homelessness.
The open house/lunch will be held at the end of January. To be added to the invitation list, please email Sonya Thesing at Huck House, or call her at (614) 298-4103.
The panel discussion can be viewed here.
The panel, held on November 29, 2017, was attended by 320 people. Other participants were Star House executive director Ann Bischoff and Community Shelter Board associate director Tom Albanese. Dan Sharpe, vice president for community research and grants management at the Columbus Foundation was the panel moderator.
