OKEECHOBEE — Okeechobee resident Kerri Schlicker has opened a door for community members to give to those less fortunate than themselves.
Living this way, she discovered it was almost impossible to get a job and hold onto it. In her case, it was even more difficult because she was pregnant and then had a newborn. She spent some time in shelters, one of which was a house for teen moms. She was technically too old by then, but they allowed her in anyway. “They made an exception for me,” she said. “I was desperate to find somewhere.” She said their kindness stuck with her all the years since she moved on.
“They taught you budgeting. They taught you life skills and how to grocery shop, how to cook and all those things.” She went on to say she knew how to do many of those things, having lived on her own previously, but it was really good for the young girls in the home. “I was able to help with those things while I was there.”
Working hard, she was able to get a place of her own by working two jobs and putting herself through school.
She remarried and lived in Boca Raton when the economy took a downward swing. Tent cities began popping up everywhere. “One day, my daughter and I saw an old man near the bus stop where I caught a bus on the days I did not drive. Something just called to me. I went and got him some blankets and a hot chicken. It was right before Christmas, and it was freezing cold. I could tell he was cold. He was wearing a T-shirt with holes. We went and gave it all to him and asked if I could give him a hug. He started crying and said, ‘Nobody even looks at me, let alone wants to hug me.’”
After that, she said they made it a tradition. Every year, they gather things to help the homeless. Sometimes, they do this in the summer when it is really hot, but often, they do it in the winter. “Not only is that when the holidays are,” she said. “But that is also when suicide rates are the highest. We like to give them a little boost of hope.”
In the past, she supported this endeavor herself, purchasing all the supplies on her own but in recent years, she has had friends and family pitch in to help.
They collect clothing, hygiene items, blankets, tents, underwear, socks, wipes, etc. On her Facebook page, Kerri has a complete list of helpful donations.
Partnering with Our Village and Rite Life, Kerri and her volunteers will meet at The Gathering on Dec. 13 to sort through all the donations and make bags which they will pass out at Rite Life the following week. She said when she spoke to people at Rite Life, she learned that many homeless are in hiding, believing it is now illegal to be homeless. “They told me they are hiding because this is a very strict county.” Rite Life will help get the word out to those who need the donations, and they will all be in one place when it is time to give away the gifts. She was also able to pick their brains about things the homeless would find useful. She said one thing she had never thought of herself was a can opener. How can they open cans without one? she asked.
Volunteers are needed to wash all the donations and to help put the bags together.
Donations are still needed as well. If you would like to donate some of the items on the list, there are pink boxes located strategically around town. One is at The Gathering which is located at 1735 SW 24th Avenue. The second is located at Our Village, located at 205 N. E. Second Street. The third is at Devon Self-Storage, found at 2190 State Road 70 West, and the other boxes are still in need of locations. If you have a business or church and would like to help with this, contact Schlicker through her Facebook page.
“We need 100 care bags for our local homeless this cold winter so please, do a little clean out and give what you can to those suffering,” said Schlicker.
