Written by Jennifer Cooper on June 6, 2010 – 3:07 pm
Dwight, IL – Pontiac, IL 19.9 miles For the second time in my cross-country journey I have found myself interrogated by police simply for being a person with a backpack. Now I have no problem with a police officer asking me if I am OK. There was just a tornado in Dwight, the location from [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on January 28, 2010 – 3:56 am
Jan. 27, 2010 Those who are homeless are often invisible, ignored. We chose to see, or not see, the man begging for change as we walk down the street. We forget that our friends who just needed a place to stay “for a few days” are still sleeping on our couch. We ignore the waitress [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on December 28, 2009 – 7:11 pm
Dec. 28, 2009 Human beings are not meant to live in the cold. Some of us may enjoy living in cooler regions, but I doubt anyone enjoys spending any real amount of time exposed to the elements without proper clothing. Yet routinely the poor and the homeless are left ill prepared to shelter themselves from [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on October 4, 2009 – 8:55 am
Day 93–Oct. 4 (Aurora, OH – Cleveland, OH, 19.3 miles) Poverty and homelessness are large problems. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t small things everyone can do to make a difference. Here are a few suggestions: Donate food, toiletries, clothing, and household items to a local shelter, food pantry or organization that benefits those who [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 29, 2009 – 10:46 pm
Day 26–July 29, 2009 (rest in Pittsburgh, 0.0 miles) Since I began my walk not a month ago I have climbed mountains and walked beside farm fields. I have met amazing and generous people and made lifelong friends. I’ve walked through impoverished communities and been touched as those with almost nothing pulled money out of [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 26, 2009 – 10:27 pm
Day 23–July 26 (Greensburg, PA-Irwin, PA, 8.1 miles) Loitering is not my idea of a good time. And I doubt most people enjoy loitering. But, when you are homeless, it is a way of life. Since I’ve begun this journey I’ve spent hours loitering. I’ve loitered at Panera, at Starbucks and McDonald’s. I’ve spent time [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 23, 2009 – 6:28 pm
Day 20–July 23 (rest in Greensburg, PA, 0.0 miles) Last night, for the first time since I began my trip, I found myself without a place to stay for the night. I spent an hour on a bench outside the Giant Eagle grocery store talking to a homeless man named Rick while I iced my [...]