A display of 84 silhouettes on the Allen County Courthouse lawn could soon provide a visual representation of a problem that often goes largely unseen in the community.
The Humanity House board is planning Homeless Awareness Week for Nov. 16-22, with a series of activities intended to draw attention to homelessness in Allen County and the circumstances that can lead people to lose stable housing.
Lori Cooper, a crisis case manager with Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center and a member of the Humanity House board, brought the proposal to the Allen County Commission during its Tuesday meeting.
Cooper works regularly with people experiencing homelessness and said the extent of the problem in Allen County is not always apparent.
The board has obtained statistics showing there are 84 people currently experiencing homelessness in the county, according to information presented to the commission. Organizers want to represent each person with a silhouette placed on the courthouse lawn during Homeless Awareness Week.
The display also would provide information about the circumstances that may have contributed to each person’s homelessness. “A person doesn’t just wake up one day and become that way,” Cooper said. “We all are a couple of steps from being in their shoes.”
November is recognized nationally as Homeless Awareness Month, and the local observance will take place the week before Thanksgiving.
In addition to the silhouettes, Cooper says they are planning on placing a banner on the courthouse lawn recognizing Homeless Awareness Week.
The commission gave approval to use the courthouse grounds for the displays.
IN OTHER NEWS, Richard Luken of LaHarpe Pride requested county support for a Kansas Department of Commerce grant application that would help the organization install a digital sign in LaHarpe.
The sign could provide information about community meetings, alerts and other local messages for residents who may not read the newspaper, listen to the radio, use social media or receive community newsletters.
LaHarpe Pride believes the area near the senior center would provide a highly visible location for the sign and Luken asked whether the county would permit its installation there.
Commission Chairman and LaHarpe resident David Lee agreed the senior center facility would be an appropriate location. “I think it will be a perfect place,” Lee said.
LaHarpe Pride also requested a letter of support for the grant application. The commission agreed to provide one.
The grant application deadline is Oct. 19.
WORK AT Allen County Airport is progressing, with Public Works Director Mitch Garner reporting that the airport’s parallel taxiway project is expected to begin around Oct. 5.
