Wayne Allen | Daily Times
Mike Bell (center) gathers with other veterans a supporters around a fire to keep warm while they are going homeless to raise awareness.
Wayne Allen
PDT Staff Writer
Mike Bell and about 25 others including area veterans have gone homeless since Thursday night. They will continue to go homeless until 6 p.m. tonight.
Their intention is to gather food donations for the Veterans Helping Veterans Food Pantry and the Salvation Army Food Pantry, funds for a proposed veterans homeless shelter and homelessness awareness.
“We are going homeless for vets (veterans), raising awareness of homelessness amongst veterans and also gathering canned food for two pantries,” Bell said. “Yesterday (Friday) were able to send 1,800 cans of food to the Salvation Army Food Pantry.”
When asked if people have been receptive to the group and their intentions Bell said, “Scioto County has come out in droves to help us do this, any and all support we have received and will receive from this community is greatly appreciated.”
He said money raised during the event will be going to help start a veterans homeless shelter in New Boston.
Veterans Helping Veterans and Others is looking to establish the homeless veterans shelter in New Boston. The shelter would eventually be equipped to house up to 60 of the communities homeless veterans.
Bell, First Vice Commander for American Legion Post 471 is working with Veterans Helping Veterans and Others to bring the Jonathan Etterling-Tony Applegate Home For Veterans Shelter to reality.
“There have been six veterans and four major supports that have been with us the entire time and two kids. That’s the awesome part, we can set the example for these kids. They (kids) have been staying and getting things out of people’s cars. We had a young lady yesterday (Friday) use her birthday money doughnuts for us,” Bell said. “
For more information about the veterans homeless shelter http://veteranshelping.org. For more information about the Salvation Army of Portsmouth visit them on Facebook.
Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 228, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.
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