Family Living In RV Without Water Survives Rural Homelessness
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Publicado 2024-07-25
In rural Missouri, Kathleen, her son, and her grandson live in a broken-down RV without water or electricity for two years since their house burned down. Just a week ago, they finally had electricity installed. This is what rural homelessness looks like—a growing crisis in America. As you go down country roads, you’ll see RV after RV, many occupied by people just like Kathleen and her family.
Kathleen shares, “It was pretty rough. Living in an RV, as anyone can imagine, it's not meant to live. So you've got small, contained areas. With three people, we get on each other's nerves. The water's been the hardest to live without.”
Her grandson, Josiah, who goes to school daily, helps his Bama and tries to find joy despite the harsh conditions. He says, “I play baseball and cut the grass. I have a dirt bike.”
Rural homelessness continues to grow at an alarming rate. Unlike urban areas, rural communities often lack the essential support services needed to help people in such dire situations. The scarcity of resources exacerbates the struggles of families like Kathleen's, leaving them without access to basic necessities or proper assistance.
Kathleen reflects on the difficulty of living without basic needs, “The next time you go to your faucet or flush the toilet, just think if you didn't have that because I didn't understand it.” Their living conditions highlight the severe impact of poverty, demonstrating that no one should have to endure such hardships in today's world.
Join us as we delve into Kathleen's story and shine a light on the unseen crisis of rural homelessness in America.
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If this story moved you, please contact your legislators to advocate for solutions to the affordable housing crisis and provide support for those in poverty and experiencing homelessness. Together, we can make a difference.
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There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.
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Todos los comentarios (21)
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If you'd like to help Kathleen and her family, Paul Kruse assists them all he can: firststepbackhome.net/. Paul has helped 1,800 homeless families and individuals this year. He and his wife, Lana, work tirelessly to help homeless people in the Wentzville area.
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Grandma is just glowing when you were talking to the boy. Bless their hearts!
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Good thing you have a place to park the RV. You need a water delivery service. Josiah is adorable!
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Poverty is a great evil everywhere in the world. It doesn't matter which nation, religion or gender you are. If you are poor, the world feels like an open-air prison. May God help all the poor, honest, moral and well-intentioned people. 🙏🙏🙏
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PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING IN RURAL AMERICA ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHWEST AND THE RESERVATIONS BEEN HOMELESS SINCE 15 Y/O WENT TO COLLEGE HOMELESS AND GRADUATED HOMELESS THEY SHALL REAP WHAT THEY SOW BE KIND
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A true tragedy. Prayers for the family to find a home 🙏
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I wouldn't want to leave land I owned either. I don't blame her.
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Even an antique hand pump would provide water. Oh my ! We used to have one on our farm in the 70s. My heart goes out to them. We can’t help all the world but we can one family at a time hoping they will in turn pass it on.
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I hate that someone else has went through this. I lost my house due to fire recently (total loss and severely under-insured). Lived in a small (16ft) borrowed camper for a bit. Now I've been living in the 1 room that's almost done. I'm hoping one day maybe I'll have a house again. I felt this to my core, because I am living it too. It truly is a living nightmare.
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I’m living in a shed without water but I’m grateful hearing this that I have electricity for now, no utilities is so so hard. I hope someone, or multiple people help her and her son and grandson out. 😔
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I would MUCH rather live like these people than the filthy city I live in now. It looks like paradise to me.
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These insurance companies are ruthless.
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We are in Vernon b.c.Canada and we are living in a rv with no water and a generator for electricity and it's been brutally hot here for about a month..no trees no shade and we have been sick with heat exhaustion. I understand what your going through. May God bless you and your family I will pray for you.
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My husband and I have helped the homeless as well. We've lived on our "farm" for 36 years and I've lost count at how many families we've helped by having many of these families living with us for 6-months while these families are getting back on their feet. None of these families have paid "rent" but....we've put them to work around the farm. Fixing fences, building sheds, a barn, 2- garages, gardening, canning, etc etc etc These are all things that have helped them and have helped us. Much of the money they would have had to come up with, many were able to save a down payment for a home of their own in 6-months time. Right now, we have a family living in our 24 foot camper with a functional bathroom and tiny kitchen where they can do their own cooking and clean up.
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God bless you, Mark, for all you do and all those who work with you. What a beautiful grandmother and grandson. 🙏❤️🌎🌍🌏🌿🕊🎵🎶🎶✨️💫✨️💫
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Living in a caravan and tent for a number of years at his age, from 7 to 14 now 48
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They aren’t homeless, they live in an rv! AND that handsome young man had a big smile on his face until you said that. Kids shouldn’t have to worry about this kind of stuff in my opinion.
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An RV is a gaint step up from no shelter. Id take that rv any day. But i understand what shes saying.
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They are better off than a lot of people because they own their own land. The LAND is the MOST IMPORTANT THING HOLD ONTO YOUR LAND
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It is hard to have such a big change happen in your life. I have done it. I have had no running water for 3 yrs. You adapt and it becomes your normal. I own my property and have a well. I run a little pump to it and bring up water. Not really hard at all. Get a camp shower and it is the same as a regular shower. I have found it fun to figure it out. She is blessed that she has her property still, and not homeless. I hope she finds what she is looking for.
