Teens Tackle Homelessness

If you think that homelessness is an issue that doesn’t affect our community, think again.

has teamed with area teens to launch its first-ever student conference today, entitled “Teens Tackle Homelessness,” as a way to educate youth on this serious topic.

The event will take place at Christ Church from 3:30 to 7 p.m.

“We hope that students will gain a perspective on the causes of homelessness, what keeps people homeless, what are their choices, who they are,” said Lois Bhatt, executive director of Bridges Outreach. “We want the students to feel a compassion and respect for people who are homeless and remember that … they can choose to make a difference in someone’s life through their actions.”

The event will commence with a keynote address by Kathleen DiChiara, Founder and CEO of the FoodBank of NJ. Following the welcome, student attendees and homeless friends can choose to attend one of four workshops presented by professional leaders and speakers.

“Teens Tackle Homelessness”  will continue with a panel discussion involving conference presenters and homeless participants, moderated by Reverend Diane Riley of Feed the Solution, The Apostles House, Newark.

Friends who have experienced homelessness will then share their stories, with a family-style dinner to follow. The event is scheduled to conclude with a discourse regarding the topic “Take Action” by Reverend Riley.

“We really wanted to make this a conference that looked and felt like the type of conference (the students’) teachers or parents would attend – a keynote speaker, a choice of breakout sessions, a panel discussion, and dinner,” said Bhatt.

Bridges Outreach, Inc. is an outreach program for the homeless that organizes weekly visits to the streets and shelters of New York City, Newark, and Irvington. According to Bhatt, students often return from these “runs” with a new perspective on homelessness, and with questions about what causes the issue or what they can do to help.

It was partly from the student involvement in these outreach runs that the upcoming conference was born.

“It was important that students take ownership of this event if it was going to be a success…They did some research, made some phone calls to prospective speakers, and came up with a list of prospective speakers they felt their fellow students would want to hear,” said Bhatt.

Six high school teens from Summit and the surrounding area worked to organize the event and form the conference’s Student Steering Committee.

“I figured it would be a great way to help out my community and show others how I like to make a difference, “said Julianne Capron, an Oak Knoll School student on the conference committee, “It was good knowing that my help with the conference was greatly appreciated when I could've spent those summer days sitting at home on the computer or watching TV.”

Saturday’s four workshops are entitled “What’s the Plan? Addressing Homelessness in our Communities,”  “The Do’s, the Don’ts, the Who’s, and the What’s,” “Homelessness: Myths, Facts, Causes, and Consequences. What Can You Do?” and “How Does Homelessness and Poverty Affect a City?”

The workshops are to be presented by Tonya R. Bryan, Policy Advisor for Homelessness and Housing Development (Newark), Mabel D. Elmore, Director of the Emergency Residency Program (Newark), Bilal Muhammad, Attendance Counselor at the Homeless Unit (Newark Public Schools), and The Honorable Wayne Smith, Mayor of Irvington, respectively.

An optional component for teens who attend the conference is to participate in “The Tent City Experience,” a 24-36 hour period in which they can undergo a simulation of what it is like to be homeless. Together, students and their adult advisors create their own living communities with boxes or tarps, wear donated clothing, eat donated food, and discover what it feels like to live without creature comforts.

Fifty teens have already registered for the Teens Tackle Homelessness Conference, a number that continues to grow. For more information about today's schedule or to sign up for the event, visit bridgesoutreach.org.