Trip members posed for a nighttime shot outside the Capitol.

Editor’s Note: Michele Miller Houck recently accompanied a youth group from Davidson College Presbyterian Church on a mission trip to learn about  urban poverty and engage in advocacy for the poor.  Participants flew to New York City and then rode a train down the East Coast, with stops in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.   Michele provided the following account.

By MICHELE MILLER HOUCK

Early on a Saturday in June, I left Davidson with 12 youth and 5 adults from Davidson College Presbyterian Church to join a trip focused on understanding and empathy. As we made our way from New York to Baltimore and Washington, our eyes were opened to the issues of urban poverty and homelessness. Nine days later, we returned to Davidson tired, but energized to make a difference.

In preparation for the trip, we spoke to Margo Williams and Marcia Webster from the Davidson Housing Coalition to get a primer on affordable housing. While en route, we visited the United Nations, HUD, the National Association of Homebuilders, an affordable housing organization in Baltimore, and Presbyterian Church USA offices in NY and DC.

In New York, two members of our group, Ridge Morgan and Dan Kerr, spent a late night talking with “James and Jose,” two homeless guys we met on the Midnight Run. Midnight Run is a volunteer organization that distributes toiletries, bag lunches and clothes to the homeless on the streets of New York. We assembled 60 toiletry kits from donations from our church and made 100 bag lunches to distribute. We started at 9:30 pm and hit areas where homeless spend their nights. Martin led the teams that walked the block to let people know that we were there. Men and women crowded around the vans for food and company. Their stories changed our minds about what homelessness means.

With children at the Fannie Barnes Residence.

Becca Powell, Greg Kuras and Holly Burgess connected with kids at the Fannie Barnes Residence family shelter in Brooklyn where we taught the kids how to tie dye. It was a bright hour for everyone after a day of meetings at the United Nations talking about development goals and refugee programs. The real highlights of this trip came when the group was able to work directly with people and understand their daily struggle.

We secured a meeting with a legislative aide in Senator Kay Hagan’s office responsible for housing issues. George Lyles and Ridge introduced our group and our mission trip. Hannah Rothrock and Becca took the lead briefing him on pending legislation pertaining to homelessness and asking him for Senator Hagan’s support for these issues. I think he was surprised at the level of detail and care that the youth had taken to understand the issues, and he promised to keep us updated on the legislation and funding.

Hannah Rothrock demonstrates tie-dying at Fannie Barnes Residence.

At Sandtown Habitat for Humanity, some of us framed while the rest painted three remodeled homes in an area of Baltimore that has blocks and blocks of rotting housing stock. By the time we were finished, we hadn’t had a shower in 48 hours, and we were tired and hungry.

Our 4th of July started out at DC’s Central Kitchen where we helped make tortilla soup for 4,000! I think we opened 1,000 cans to dump into the pot before it was all over. We were permitted to taste our concoction, and we approved. The Central Kitchen supplies shelters and soup kitchens with food 365 days a year. Their culinary program trains 100 people a year in food service basics — most are struggling with homelessness and addiction themselves.

After that we staked out our place on the Capital Lawn for the concert and fireworks. The concert featured Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow (for the old folks), Natasha Bedingfield, Big Bird, Jimmy Smits and Cookie Monster. Afterward, the fireworks lit up the sky over the Washington Monument.

The long ride home on the train ended in Salisbury in the middle of the night. I think that this trip will stay with all of us for a long time. We’ll be looking for ways to help right here at home.

Want to help?

How can you help with housing and poverty issues in North Mecklenburg:

• Volunteer to help build a house at Our Towns Habitat for Humanity.  Call 704-896-8957, ext. 1108 or email: volunteercoordinator@ourtownshabitat.org.
• Ride in Davidson Housing Coalition’s Ride for Hope and Housing (5K, 25K, 50K or 100K routes), Saturday, October 3, 2009. Sign up at www.davidsonhousing.org.
• Donate or sort food at Loaves and Fishes at Ada Jenkins Center. Call 704-896-0471, ext. 125.

Participants in the DCPC mission trip included: Sarah Beeken, Holly Burgess, Hope Davis, Justin Davis, Michele Miller Houck, Dan Kerr, Martin Kerr, Greg Kuras, Shelli Latham, George Lyles, Ridge Morgan, Nora Munger, Jalen Parson, Becca Powell, Hannah Rothrock, Katie Ruark, and Kester Spach.