Spending a night in the cold, to combat homelessness in Morris County

Rebecca, second from left, will spend a night in the cold to raise money for Homeless Solutions Inc. Photo courtesy of HSI.
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On Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, some 140 people will sleep outside to raise money for Homeless Solutions Inc., a nonprofit with facilities in Morristown and Morris Township that is striving to end homelessness in Morris County. This is the story of one of the participants who will be spending a night in the cold.

From Homeless Solutions Inc:

Today Rebecca feels like Cinderella living a fairy tale life. But this was not always the case.

She spent most of her life picking up the pieces. Rebecca grew up in a loving home that even had a white picket fence. Things changed for her when she was 17 and lost her mother to cancer.

She began to self-medicate to deal with the pain and ultimately became an addict. She got clean and sober and fell in love and started a family. The situation became unsafe and she and her family fled. This left her with literally nothing and she became homeless.

She was able to get help from Homeless Solutions Inc (HSI), a local shelter in Morristown. There she was able to get a good job, save money, and get back on her feet. She graduated and moved into a home she could afford and her children were thriving.

Life was good and it even got better. She fell in love and met her Prince Charming. They recently got married and are about to buy a home together. A dream she never thought would be a reality.

Rebecca and her family are so grateful to HSI; without that opportunity she knows she would not be living her best life today. It’s important to her to give back to show her gratitude. She serves as a mentor for current shelter guests and her daughter even donated camping supplies with her own money knowing what an incredible experience camp was for her when she lived at the shelter.

The giving back theme continues for Rebecca and her family as they prepare to participate  in A Night in the Cold.

They will be sleeping outside with 140 other participants virtually to help raise funds and awareness about homelessness. Last year there were nearly 1,000 homeless people in Morris County according to a Monarch Housing report.

“We are participating in A Night in the Cold because my children and I never had to spend a night on the streets in the cold because of the help we received,” Rebecca said.

“I am hoping to bring awareness to my children and family/friends that homelessness is a very serious issue. It can happen to anyone. If I didn’t get the help I needed, I don’t know where we would be today.”

If you would like to support Rebecca’s A Night in the Cold you can donate here. One hundred percent of the proceeds support our homeless neighbors in need through the shelter programs at Homeless Solutions.

About Homeless Solutions, Inc. (HSI)

Our Philosophy is “A Hand Up, not a Handout.” As a private, nonprofit organization, Homeless Solutions has been helping the homeless and working poor in our community since 1983. We are unique in what we do. It’s not just about providing a warm meal and a place to sleep. Our goal is to give those who we serve the tools and surroundings they need to rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient. What sets our nonprofit apart from others is our Continuum of Housing through our Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing Program (THP), Mt. Kemble Home, and Affordable Housing.  Last year, our programs and services helped 676 people.  For more information visit www.HomelessSolutions.org

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