About Us
The Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is a program of the National Coalition for the Homeless that is comprised of people who are or have been homeless and works to educate the public about homelessness and what can be done to end it. In 2009 the Macon Coalition to End Homelessness was granted an AmeriCorps*VISTA to found and operate a Speakers’ Bureau in the Central Georgia area. That same year Speakers’ Bureaus across the country gave 390 presentations, speaking to over 20,500 people from over 40 states, and traveling to 13 states. The Central Georgia Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau continues to operate in middle Georgia under the direction of two AmeriCorps*VISTAs based in Macon.
The Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is a customizable panel presentation that educates audiences about homelessness using facts and statistics, bringing to light myths and stereotypes, and breaking through those stereotypes by featuring true accounts of homelessness by the people who lived them. The Speakers’ Bureau has been hosted by local public and private colleges, universities, primary, and secondary schools, churches and other faith-based organizations, civic clubs, businesses, and youth organizations in the Central Georgia area with overwhelmingly positive feedback. While donations are requested and appreciated, the program is free of charge and can be tailored according to the needs of your audience. Our diverse panel of Speakers’ can discuss a wide variety of topics relevant to homelessness, including health care, education, domestic abuse, addiction, and spirituality to name just a few. Length as well as content can be dictated by choosing the right number of Speakers. If you or your group is interested in hosting a Faces of Homelessness presentation, fill out our Event Request Form.
News & Events
October 18, 2011- Naomi Robertson’s Domestic Issues class at Macon State College, in association with the Black Student Unification organization, hosted a Faces of Homelessness presentation. Around 150 people were in attendance and three Speakers, Laurie White, Randy Bedingfield, and Eric Chaplin, shared their stories. Read about the presentation here.
September 7, 2011 - Article in the Mercer Cluster about the Bureau and the issue of Homelessness in the Macon community: Local Nonprofit Teaches Valuable Lesson
August 24th, 2011-The Central Georgia Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau celebrated the start of its third year with a public presentation and the induction of four new Speakers! Roosevelt Rowland, Deborah Wood, Randy Bedingfield, and Eric Chaplin shared their stories with an audience for the first time, joining the ranks of Laura White and Calvin Cole, two experienced Speakers. A few service agencies were represented at the presentation as well as several people from the homeless community in Macon. Everyone had a wonderful time, enjoying chips and cupcakes and listening to new friends discuss their experiences. A big “thank you” to The 567 who generously donated their space for the event, as well as to Andrew Reeser, a 41 WGMT reporter who came out to cover the event and reported it on the Wednesday night and Thursday morning news. Click the crimson box to see the video clip.
Ending homelessness must begin with the understanding that people who are or have been homeless are our neighbors and members of our community. Public perceptions and attitudes toward persons experiencing homelessness or in danger of becoming homeless need to change in order for positive, long-term solutions to be realized. Most Americans rarely interact with people who are or who have been homeless. The lack of interaction between different groups of our society, combined with impersonal or inaccurate descriptions of homelessness posed by the media and public officials, contributes to a distancing of those who have housing from those who do not. As a result, homelessness is perceived as an abstract social problem. Those who experience homelessness are seen as the sources of their own misfortunes, and the socio-economic policies and practices that give rise to homelessness are then too easily ignored. This abstraction, in turn, lessens the degree of urgency and commitment needed to work strategically and consistently toward solutions to end homelessness that are long-term, outcome-based, and not simply responses to crises. The Speakers’ Bureau is both an accurate and dynamic tool to teach and challenge tomorrow’s leaders as well as empower those who have experienced homelessness first-hand. By fostering an environment of self-worth, respect, and understanding for all people, the Speakers’ Bureau challenges us to believe that we can and should end homelessness.
WMGT came out to cover our inaugural presentation of the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau. The event took place at The 567 in downtown Macon on August 24th. Over twenty people came out to the public event and watched as we inducted four new Speakers into the Bureau.
Meet the Speakers
At a Faces of Homelessness presentation, the stars of the show are our Speakers! Currently there are six individuals participating in the Central Georgia Speakers’ Bureau. Take a look at their pictures and stories below. Without even leaving the comfort of your desk, you can witness a few Faces of Homelessness. If you are planning or considering an event with us, you may request specific Speakers.
Laura White
Laura is the Bureau’s longest standing Speaker. She first experienced homelessness at the age of 13, and in her lifetime she has seen and experienced abuse, addiction, and disease. Laura has faced the fear and misery of having to raise her young children without a home as well as racism and hate because of her husband’s race and their interracial marriage and children. Her story, while heartbreaking, is triumphant. Laura now lives in an apartment with her daughters and husband in Macon with the support of The Rainbow Center and Central City AIDS Network. She has been speaking with the Bureau for three years now and says that each time she speaks “it releases some of [her] pain.”
Calvin Cole
This is Calvin’s second year speaking for the Bureau. After the tragic loss of his young wife and infant child in a car wreck, Calvin turned to drugs and alcohol to ease his pain. Calvin became homeless and did not have a consistent place to stay for two years. He tried a variety of programs and shelters in Macon but would sometimes squat in abandoned buildings or live in a tent behind Rivers Edge. Over the past 6 months he has received treatment for his addiction and has been able to move into the Dempsey apartments. He says he loves to come home and sit on his couch and watch TV now that he’s off the streets.
Roosevelt Rowland
Roosevelt is a 13 year Vietnam-era veteran who has fallen on hard times. After dedicating his life to serving this country through the Army, National Guard, and as a firefighter, Roosevelt now lives in an abandoned building. He hopes his circumstances will change soon and that he will have permanent housing by winter.
Deborah Wood
Deborah is a devoted mother of two sons. After years of domestic abuse from her husband, Deborah moved to Atlanta with her children. She began staying at the Salvation Army and since that time has been caught in a cycle of shelters and inadequate transitional housing. Deborah has held many jobs over the years, but because her disabled sons often needed her at home, maintaining a position was difficult. Today, Deborah is trying to reunite with her sons, who are currently in mental health facilities, as well as return to work as a Bibb County bus driver.
Randy Bedingfield
Randy Bedingfield never expected that he would be homeless. A talented concert pianist, Randy always had lucrative work, whether he was touring Europe or writing jingles for the advertising company he co-founded. After returning to his parents’ home to care for them in their old age and failing health, Randy was turned out of his house by his brother. He stayed in shelters and on park benches downtown, yet he was isolated from the town and community he had once been so successful in. Today Randy plays piano and organ for several churches in Macon and lives in a fixer-upper he hopes to turn into a music conservatory.
Eric Chaplin
Eric Chaplin was abandoned by his mother at age 6 in Brooklyn, NY. He grew up in institutions and group homes and started living on the streets by 18. In and out of jail (you might hear Eric point out the redeeming qualities of life behind bars: “three hots and a cot”) he was finally reunited with his family after running into his brother while he was locked up. Eric moved to Georgia but had never been taught many basic life skills and had no relevant work experience. He struggled with addiction and alienation until, while serving time, he made the choice to get clean and change his life. Eric is now sober, housed, and looking for work. He says he’s excited to work with the Speakers’ Bureau because he wants to advocate for more life-skills training programs for the homeless in the community.
Links
Find out more about us and our community partners by visiting the links below!
National Coalition for the Homeless
Central GA Faces of Homelessness Facebook page
Centenary Church (Sunday morning breakfast)
Christ Episcopal Church (Weekend lunches)
Come to the Fountain Ministry (Sunday afternoon picnics)
Loaves and Fishes Ministries (An agency dedicated to helping the homeless and impoverished providing meals, groceries, clothes, showers, laundry, and other services)
Macon Outreach at Mulberry St Church (Lunches, M,W-F, Tuesday breakfast)
Macon Rescue Mission (Programs for addiction and domestic abuse victims, short-term and emergency shelter)
If you are associated with a homeless service provider in the Central Georgia area, please contact us so that we may add your name and site information to our list.
Contact Us
Contact the Project Coordinators Jeremy Weatherly (Jweatherly@nationalhomeless.org) and Caitlin Donnelly (Caitlin@mceh.org) for more information regarding the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau.
Our office is located in Macon, GA, near the downtown area.
2020 Ingleside Ave
Suite 157
Macon, GA 31204
Phone: (478) 741-6733 ext. 157
Like us on Facebook!
Click the title of this post to redirect to our Facebook page. We post relevant news articles, event information, and other tidbits frequently. Like us to stay updated and show your support for the cause. Coming soon: Twitter!
Event Request Form
The Central Georgia Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is always looking for new venues and hosts for our presentation. If you are a member of any organization, be it public or private, a school, a faith-based group, a service club, a local business, or local government, and would like to host the Faces of Homelessness panel, fill out the Event Request Form by clicking on the title of this post which will lead you to a pdf file. Either print out and write in answers or answer each section in a separate Microsoft Office document. Send completed forms to 2020 Ingleside Ave. Suite 157 Macon, GA 31204 or e-mail it to JWeatherly@nationalhomeless.org or Caitlin@mceh.org.
