New School student homeless for week (Printed Jan. 25, 2008)
By Stowell P. Watters
Staff Writer
Will King, a senior at the New School in Kennebunk, will spend a week on the streets of the town, living out of his pockets and backpack. Despite the fact the temperature drops nightly into the teens and southern Maine has been receiving snow on a weekly basis, King is dauntless.
“I can deal with cold, that isn’t the biggest problem with being homeless. It is food shortage and isolation that will be tough,” King said. “But I should be fine, I know what I am doing.”
Along with juniors Devin Timmins and Megan Gates, King is hoping to produce a documentary to be entitled “Homelessness in Maine,” which will highlight, among other things, the growing problem of teen homelessness in the state. According to a pamphlet King will be passing out to residents while living homeless, nearly 30 percent of homeless people living in Maine are younger than the age of 18. The pamphlet draws the bulk of its information from The National Alliance to End Homelessness’ Web site www.naeh.org.
King and the group also want to bring light to the rising population of homeless families. The population of this ‘class,’ according to their pamphlet, has jumped on the national level from nearly 4,000 in the 1980s to 7,640 as of 2005 – an increase of 52 percent from decade to decade. Because of a lack in affordable housing, substance abuse, poverty, domestic violence and other restraints, 744,000 people are homeless on any given night, according to their pamphlet.
“We are all sheltered,” said Timmins. “We don’t know how other people live, this project will help raise awareness if nothing else.”
King’s journey into homelessness will begin today, Jan. 25 and will last for a week, but the planning has consumed his time for a month. As he explains, there is a lot to consider.
“A few things will be simulated, like a food stamp plan and a caseworker,” King said.
In order to get the full experience of being homeless King said he will allot himself about $30, to simulate the Maine Quest card for food relief which is essentially a modern form of the food stamp system. He will also seek the advice of a faux-case worker, a current employee at the Preble Street Resource Center in Portland, and will have a ‘meeting’ with him at some point both to describe his foray into homelessness and do research for the group’s documentary.
King’s group has agreed to film him halfway through the project and gather footage as he attempts to live without shelter, but other than that he will have no contact with family or friends. While he has had experience working near homeless people in food kitchens and shelters, King said he does not exactly know what to expect.
“I am bringing my guitar for entertainment and will attempt to do some busking, maybe some panhandling,” King said, adding that any money he makes while busking with the guitar will be donated to charity. “But there are a lot of unknowns.”
He is packing two full sets of clothes as well as a sleeping bag and winter clothes. He will not bring food, water, books or a cell phone.
Among his list of “unknowns,” is a proper place to sleep. King said he has a few places in mind, but wanted to keep that information to himself to prevent being bothered while asleep.
While the Kennebunk Police Department has been cooperative with King and is fully aware of his project, they are firm on their stance that he may not sleep on the property of others and that all laws that apply to actual homeless people also apply to him. Their major concern for King and for all homeless people is the temperature.
“As long as he isn’t a danger to anyone or to himself he can do what he wants. If our officers see him they will stop him and see if there is any way they can help,” said Kennebunk Police Lt. Robert MacKenzie. “It gets really cold, we all know that.”
He said although Kennebunk does not have many homeless people currently living in town, the police are aware of the problem and do their best to provide help such as escorting them to shelters in nearby Portland. MacKenzie said the population of homeless people is so transitive it is impossible for them to release how many currently live in town.
Food, too, is a top concern for King who is a strict vegetarian. He said he once had a homeless friend and because of close contact with him, he knows a few tricks. “Local businesses throw so much food out, and I am well aware of how to take care of my diet,” King said, adding he will remain a vegetarian while doing the experiment.
He explains that while he is educated, many people living on the streets are not as fortunate and therefore have a hard time when it comes to dietary choices. In fact, his pamphlet illustrates the fact that 42 percent of all homeless people in Maine have never finished high school.
While he is living on the streets he said he will do his best to stay away from dumpsters, but may consider eating something out of a trashcan if it “looks edible.”
“For health reasons I think I would like to stay away from dumpsters, but you know, that is a fact many homeless people have to live with. Eat or die,” King said.
At the New School the winter projects are what Principal Marylyn Wentworth called “unconventional.” Students travel to Canada and South America to become immersed in the study of foreign language and culture. Some stay behind for an intense look at the history, preparation, culture and societal and political roles of food. King’s group, upon deciding to produce a documentary film, has received the OK from Wentworth.
“It is a most unusual project, but Will has a very good sense of himself, he knows what he wants to learn and he knows how to learn it,” Wentworth said, adding King and his group will tie in the entire project to other things learned during this year at the New School during a Feb. 12 presentation and project sharing night.
While her son is busy discovering what it is like to live without food and shelter, Judith Hunt-King said she will be at home, proud and unworried. Because of King’s prior attempt at hiking the Appalachian Trail (of which he covered 200 miles), Hunt-King is confident in her son’s ability to deal with the cold.
“Sleeping out makes me a little nervous, and I told him absolutely no hitch-hiking,” Hunt-King said. “But other than that, he knows when he is cold, and the police have been very cooperative.”
The public is encouraged to attend the New School’s winter project night Feb. 12, for more information Wentworth said check their Web site www.tnsk.org.
To contact Stowell P. Watters, call 282-4337 ext. 219 or email news@kennebunkpost.com.
Staff Writer
Will King, a senior at the New School in Kennebunk, will spend a week on the streets of the town, living out of his pockets and backpack. Despite the fact the temperature drops nightly into the teens and southern Maine has been receiving snow on a weekly basis, King is dauntless.
“I can deal with cold, that isn’t the biggest problem with being homeless. It is food shortage and isolation that will be tough,” King said. “But I should be fine, I know what I am doing.”
Along with juniors Devin Timmins and Megan Gates, King is hoping to produce a documentary to be entitled “Homelessness in Maine,” which will highlight, among other things, the growing problem of teen homelessness in the state. According to a pamphlet King will be passing out to residents while living homeless, nearly 30 percent of homeless people living in Maine are younger than the age of 18. The pamphlet draws the bulk of its information from The National Alliance to End Homelessness’ Web site www.naeh.org.
King and the group also want to bring light to the rising population of homeless families. The population of this ‘class,’ according to their pamphlet, has jumped on the national level from nearly 4,000 in the 1980s to 7,640 as of 2005 – an increase of 52 percent from decade to decade. Because of a lack in affordable housing, substance abuse, poverty, domestic violence and other restraints, 744,000 people are homeless on any given night, according to their pamphlet.
“We are all sheltered,” said Timmins. “We don’t know how other people live, this project will help raise awareness if nothing else.”
King’s journey into homelessness will begin today, Jan. 25 and will last for a week, but the planning has consumed his time for a month. As he explains, there is a lot to consider.
“A few things will be simulated, like a food stamp plan and a caseworker,” King said.
In order to get the full experience of being homeless King said he will allot himself about $30, to simulate the Maine Quest card for food relief which is essentially a modern form of the food stamp system. He will also seek the advice of a faux-case worker, a current employee at the Preble Street Resource Center in Portland, and will have a ‘meeting’ with him at some point both to describe his foray into homelessness and do research for the group’s documentary.
King’s group has agreed to film him halfway through the project and gather footage as he attempts to live without shelter, but other than that he will have no contact with family or friends. While he has had experience working near homeless people in food kitchens and shelters, King said he does not exactly know what to expect.
“I am bringing my guitar for entertainment and will attempt to do some busking, maybe some panhandling,” King said, adding that any money he makes while busking with the guitar will be donated to charity. “But there are a lot of unknowns.”
He is packing two full sets of clothes as well as a sleeping bag and winter clothes. He will not bring food, water, books or a cell phone.
Among his list of “unknowns,” is a proper place to sleep. King said he has a few places in mind, but wanted to keep that information to himself to prevent being bothered while asleep.
While the Kennebunk Police Department has been cooperative with King and is fully aware of his project, they are firm on their stance that he may not sleep on the property of others and that all laws that apply to actual homeless people also apply to him. Their major concern for King and for all homeless people is the temperature.
“As long as he isn’t a danger to anyone or to himself he can do what he wants. If our officers see him they will stop him and see if there is any way they can help,” said Kennebunk Police Lt. Robert MacKenzie. “It gets really cold, we all know that.”
He said although Kennebunk does not have many homeless people currently living in town, the police are aware of the problem and do their best to provide help such as escorting them to shelters in nearby Portland. MacKenzie said the population of homeless people is so transitive it is impossible for them to release how many currently live in town.
Food, too, is a top concern for King who is a strict vegetarian. He said he once had a homeless friend and because of close contact with him, he knows a few tricks. “Local businesses throw so much food out, and I am well aware of how to take care of my diet,” King said, adding he will remain a vegetarian while doing the experiment.
He explains that while he is educated, many people living on the streets are not as fortunate and therefore have a hard time when it comes to dietary choices. In fact, his pamphlet illustrates the fact that 42 percent of all homeless people in Maine have never finished high school.
While he is living on the streets he said he will do his best to stay away from dumpsters, but may consider eating something out of a trashcan if it “looks edible.”
“For health reasons I think I would like to stay away from dumpsters, but you know, that is a fact many homeless people have to live with. Eat or die,” King said.
At the New School the winter projects are what Principal Marylyn Wentworth called “unconventional.” Students travel to Canada and South America to become immersed in the study of foreign language and culture. Some stay behind for an intense look at the history, preparation, culture and societal and political roles of food. King’s group, upon deciding to produce a documentary film, has received the OK from Wentworth.
“It is a most unusual project, but Will has a very good sense of himself, he knows what he wants to learn and he knows how to learn it,” Wentworth said, adding King and his group will tie in the entire project to other things learned during this year at the New School during a Feb. 12 presentation and project sharing night.
While her son is busy discovering what it is like to live without food and shelter, Judith Hunt-King said she will be at home, proud and unworried. Because of King’s prior attempt at hiking the Appalachian Trail (of which he covered 200 miles), Hunt-King is confident in her son’s ability to deal with the cold.
“Sleeping out makes me a little nervous, and I told him absolutely no hitch-hiking,” Hunt-King said. “But other than that, he knows when he is cold, and the police have been very cooperative.”
The public is encouraged to attend the New School’s winter project night Feb. 12, for more information Wentworth said check their Web site www.tnsk.org.
To contact Stowell P. Watters, call 282-4337 ext. 219 or email news@kennebunkpost.com.
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