Members of the Bridgewater State College Social Justice League in an effort to raise awareness about homelessness has been braving the cold, sleeping in tents, using public facilities to shower, to experience at least for a few nights, what it's like not to have a home.
Just over twenty students have been sleeping in tents outside the school's Campus Center, to raise awareness about the growing problem throughout the country.
According to Joyce Tavon with the South Shore Regional Network to End Homelessness, on the South Shore from Quincy to Brockton to Plymouth there are 155 family shelter units on any night that become full.
Jason who works full time and goes to Bridgewater State College full time says, it's the things people take for granted that,. that he began to appreciate after taking part in this effort to raise awareness
Over the past few nights they have dealt with downright freezing conditions, just to show the community that there is a problem and something needs to be done to fix it.
It's safe to say there is absolutely a homelessness problem - numbers are up throughout all the local communities. Just for the Brockton area, 80 to 90 families per night occupy space in three hotels throughout the area.
The hotel rooms that homeless families are occupying are funded through the state averaging $80 per night.
State-wide. 3,000 families on any given night occupy space in shelters and hotels.