Homeless camp coming to state fairgrounds

WASILLA — There’s nothing flimsy about Friday’s Cardboard City event to raise funds and awareness for the Valley’s homeless families.

Marking its fourth year at the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer, the event aims to raise at least $24,000 for the local Family Promise program this year, enabling more area churches to take in homeless adults with children.

“Last year, 100 people participated in Cardboard City by sleeping in cardboard homes and that brought in $8,000 in pledges for Family Promise,” Family Promise founder and director Laurie Kari said Monday. “This year, it looks like the participation has at least doubled, so we’re hoping for three times what was raised last year. So it’s very exciting!”

With the population of the Valley’s homeless children growing from 300 in 2007, to about 800 during the 2009-10 school year, Kari said it’s critical to increase the number of churches taking families in for a week at a time so that more children have a warm place to sleep during cold winter nights.

Right now, nine local churches house homeless families and four other churches offer support services. It is the goal of Family Promise Mat-Su to double the number of churches assisting with the program, with the numbers split equally between Palmer and Wasilla, Kari said.

“Normally, we can help about 15 homeless guests per night,” Kari said. “If we double the number of churches involved, we could take 30 people per night.”

Whether it’s church groups, school groups, youth groups, Kiwanis Club members, caring individuals, those who’ve been helped by Family Promise in the past, or those who need their help now, Cardboard City participants will be anything but bored as they compete to come up with the most creative “homes” and other contests.

There are prizes for the largest group, the most creative use of duct tape, the most money pledged by a group or individual, and the most environmentally-friendly cardboard home.

Participants also will hear testimonies from those who’ve been helped by Family Promise and will be entertained by local rockabilly group Wildcat Trio for two hours as they enjoy their free bread and Vagabond Blues’ Hungarian mushroom soup.

“It really is a lot of fun,” Kari said. “And this year we’re being a little more lenient on allowing those who don’t have the required pledges to sleep in their cardboard home because we’ve received $1,500 sponsorship funds from two anonymous businesses.”

Normally, participants in the annual event must pay — or garner in pledges — $50 per box. So those who have a one-box “apartment” would pay $50, while those with a two-box “townhouse” would owe $100, those with a four-box “condo” would contribute $200, a house of six boxes costs $300, a “mansion” of 10 boxes brings in $500 and a “castle” with more than 10 boxes rakes in $1,000 for the cause.

Those in the “stargazer” category — sleeping on the grass without a box — can participate for free, Kari said.

“Last year, there was a church youth group that even had a laundry chute in their castle where they stored their shoes,” Kari laughed. “There was also a lady who was an artist who stayed up all night decorating her box. It was beautiful.”

Kari was even able to inspire Church on the Rock Pastor David Pepper after she spoke about Cardboard City to three different congregations on Sunday.

“I was there for seven hours, speaking at three services,” Kari said. “By the end, Pastor Pepper promised he’d sleep in a box all night if enough people pledged. From what I saw, those people really wanted to see their pastor in a box!”

Pepper confirmed Monday he will be cozying up in a box Friday night since his congregation has already raised $1,500 for the cause. He said they’re hoping to reach $2,000.

“I’m getting back from a church retreat just in time Friday, so I’ll take a shower and hang out there at the fairgrounds for a night and try to find a way to stay comfortable in a cardboard box,” Pepper said. “I’ve lived in the Valley since 1976 and it seems like homelessness has gotten worse every year. We have two homeless families now that we’re trying to help. Housing is becoming more and more of a challenge because of the way people are struggling economically.”

Cardboard City begins near the main fairgrounds entrance at 5 p.m., Friday with prizes, contests and games taking place until 6 p.m., when outreach and testimonials begin, followed by a bread and soup line and music from Wildcat Trio happening from 6 to 8 p.m. Quiet time is 10 p.m. and campers must be completely off the grounds by 8 a.m., Saturday.

Organizers ask that children must be supervised and that large groups of youth must provide one adult for every five children under the age of 18. Prohibited items include electronics, pets, alcohol, weapons and food.

“If we catch people bringing in food, we’ll confiscate it and donate it to the food pantry,” Kari said. “This is because we want to create a scenario that is as realistic as possible. That’s what the soup and bread are for. And if it rains, sometimes that’s even better because you certainly can’t control the weather if you’re living outside.”

For more information on Family Promise or to register to participate in the Cardboard City fundraiser Friday night, go to familypromisematsu.org or call Laurie Kari at 357-6160.

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.