48 Hours in the Life: The Homeless Experience Project 2.0 2022

 48 Hours in the Life: The Homeless Experience Project 2.0 2022 

Aurora’s immersive experience is positioned to raise awareness and needed funds for the organization’s work to prevent and end homelessness. 

EVANSVILLE – Over 350 men, women, children, and seniors experience homelessness in Evansville each year. At Aurora, our mission is “creating solutions to prevent and end homelessness in our community.” It is Aurora’s duty to not only serve the most vulnerable but to ensure that our community is aware, engaged, and activated to prevent and end homelessness here in Southwestern Indiana. 

November is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness month. Last year, Aurora hosted the first 48 Hours in the Life: The Homeless Experience Project. During that project, 12 community leaders and volunteers each received a unique backstory, along with a number of challenges and scenarios to navigate while living on the streets of Evansville for two days and nights. We found it to be the perfect time to shed light on the struggles our most vulnerable population experiences, so we will repeat the event this year from November 17-19. 

Like last year, each of the thirteen participants will receive unique scenarios, backstories, and challenges that differ for each participant and are designed to reflect experiences similar to those our clients face on a daily basis. 

The purpose of this event is three-fold: 

First, to raise awareness. This project will help our community and leaders gain at least a small perspective about our city’s most vulnerable people. Our planning team has no delusions that this immersive 48-hour experience will give the participants a full understanding of what it is those experiencing homelessness face every day. However, it is our intention to grow a greater community-wide understanding and compassion for people who struggle with barriers to housing. 

Second, to raise funds for the housing programs Aurora offers. Aurora serves as the lead homeless service agency in region 12 serving 10 counties in southwest Indiana. As a nonprofit, we rely on support from the public and special fundraising events in order to provide quality services to those experiencing homelessness in our community. 

Third, to lift up our community in support and the vital programs they provide. Ultimately, our case managers and social workers rely on the vast social service network in our community. We are successful because of the cooperation and coordination of each agency’s focused services. 

48 Hours in the Life will begin Thursday, November 17th at 12 PM. All participants will meet at Aurora where they will receive their instructions and then be immersed in the experience until Saturday, November 19th at 12 PM. 

The community leaders are: Kayla McGrew, Spreading Kindness with Sophie; BobbieAnn McGrew, Spreading Kindness with Sophie; Noah Stubbs, Director of Communications, City of Evansville; Kaitlin Moore, City Council Member, City of Evansville and Associate Pastor of Community Development at Trinity United Methodist Church; Brian Miller, Evening Anchor, WEVV/44 News; Dr. Thomas Stratton, ECHO Community Healthcare; Kim Wren, Financial Advisor, Baird Wealth Advisors; Dr. James Porter, Deaconess Health Systems; Chadd Huffman, Homes by Huffman and Aurora Board President; Rachelle Chrisman, Assistant Vice President, Fifth Third Commercial Bank; Taylor Merriss, Special Projects Coordinator, Evansville Police Department; Paul Green, Retired Business Manager/Financial Secretary, IBEW Local 16 and Aurora Board Treasurer; Noah Robinson, Lieutenant, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office. 

To help raise awareness and funds, each participant will have their own crowdfunding web page where the public can make online donations on their behalf. Checks can also be sent to Aurora at 1001 Mary St., Evansville, IN 47710, Attn: Kim Armstrong. The participants are each challenged to raise $5000. 

Livestreams on Aurora’s Facebook page will also be available periodically throughout the event so participants can share their personal experiences with the public and help promote a better understanding of what life is like for many of our clients. The media is encouraged to use video and audio from those live streams to supplement coverage. Additionally, we encourage interviews with our executive director, Zac Heronemus, and past participants to raise awareness of this year’s event in the days leading up to it. We respectfully ask you to refrain from following the participants during the event as a matter of safety for our clients and participants. 

A closing ceremony, that includes a news briefing, as well as participant testimonies and interview availability, will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 19 in Aurora’s parking lot at 1001 Mary Street. 

Please stay tuned for the upcoming 48 Hours in the Life: The Homeless Experience Project 2.0. 

For more information or inquiries, please contact Zac Heronemus, Executive Director or Sophie Hancock, Marketing and Development Associate for Aurora, as listed above 

About Aurora, Inc. 

Founded in 1988, Aurora provides permanent, long-term housing solutions for those experiencing homelessness through intensive case management supplemented with rental assistance. Aurora’s focus is on housing first while connecting individuals and families to other supportive services which include jobs, increased income, disability, social security, medical care, and substance abuse facilities.