Homelessness has tripled in Peoria.
Flyers hanging across campus read this in bold letters. It’s not just a shocking statistic; it’s a call to action, put out by three public relations and advertising seniors who have made homelessness the focus of their capstone project.
Hoping to advocate for the unhoused community within Peoria and surrounding areas, the students hosted a panel discussion Thursday night, where myths around homelessness were debunked and local volunteer opportunities were discussed.
It was a crucial step toward increasing empathy not just on this campus but in this country.
Chances are, most members of this community come across at least one unhoused person every day – drives right past them on the way to class or work. Some may feel sympathy, but feel there’s nothing they can do. Others may feed into the stereotypes surrounding homeless people, even if only in their heads.
Both are natural reactions. But both are wrong.
This is why this new campaign – titled Shared Streets Shared Humanity – matters more than your average school project. The students responsible are raising awareness of an issue that many find easy to ignore, even though it surrounds us.
There are currently 635 unhoused people in Peoria.
These people aren’t all lazy; they aren’t all dangerous; they didn’t choose their lifestyle; their problems can’t be solved just by getting a job. The sooner everyone understands this, the better.
In the meantime, there are many opportunities in the Peoria area to volunteer and support the unhoused community. Dream Center Peoria, for example, is a non-profit organization where you can volunteer to help provide a pathway out of homelessness.
To find out more about Shared Streets Shared Humanity, just look around you – or find them on Instagram.
