Boxed in for the Night, Donors Go Homeless

BURLEIGH – Cape May County resorts are known for many amenities including a wide range of hotels, motels and rental housing accommodations.
Hotel nightly costs typically range from about $100 upward to several hundred dollars depending on the desired level of comfort guests require. 
At The Lighthouse Church on Route 9, dozens of “guests” of every age chose to pay a minimum of $125, and as much as $1,100, to construct their own cardboard-box “house” for an overnight stay on church grounds.
By so doing, they raised money and awareness for the plight of many Cape May County homeless families. The inaugural overnight event was held on the afternoon of April 28 to the morning of April 29. The event was organized by Family Promise of Cape May County.
Family Promise Director Laurie Johnson was running from site to site when she stopped for a minute to confess, “We have been missing it with the youth.”
Johnson was referring to the Family Promise’s new outreach to county middle and high schools and other youth groups. They include Boy and Girl Scouts where often, homeless students strive to learn while parents struggle to find a permanent residence, a job, medical care and other routine family needs that most take for granted.
The new outreach was evident by the ubiquitous participation of teenagers and parents. Working together with cardboard and duct tape, youngsters and adults worked to fashion their overnight accommodations with as much style and humor as they could muster, given the seriousness of the issue.
According to the Family Promise press release, “Cardboard Box City is a rewarding and exciting opportunity for youth to become aware of the homeless population that surrounds them and the many ways that all of us can serve our neighbors in need,” stated Johnson.
Chris Swan is a newly-arrived resident of the county. He came from Pittsburgh, Pa. He joined The Lighthouse Church and felt “It is good to help out the homeless in our area.”
He managed to raise about $300 from his family and some new friends as his way to contribute to his new community.
Roxy Smith and Dave Hall from Ocean City have always looked for ways to help those who are less fortunate than they.
“We try to provide rides to people who need them, donate clothing and distribute leftover food,” said Hall.
Hall learned of the event through the church; he and Smith felt that this was a good way to provide direct help to the homeless. They raised $300 to “pay for” their new cardboard-box “house” campsite. Jackie McKnew is a retired teacher who paid a lot more for her more modest but homey accommodation. 
McKnew raised $1,100 for the privilege of camping out with all her young neighbors. 
For information on how to help, visit FamilyPromiseCMC.org  to volunteer or donate.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.