Jean and her children

After walking out of this hotel room I broke down. To be honest, I don't know how Jean does it all. She tries to be a good mother to her five children. Every day, even in the Missouri rain, she rides a bicycle to her minimum wage job. But minimum wage is not enough for the family to break the weekly rate hotel cycle.

This is the invisible people we need to make visible. Luckily, this family and many others found a very kind man in St Charles County that is helping homeless families get back on their feet. I have traveled all over this country visiting people in hotels. Thanks to Paul Kruse [http://firststepbackhome.net] these families are staying in a fairly decent hotel. But it's still not home.

Many of the affordable, weekly rate hotels are run down. Most places are filled with drug dealers, criminal activity and are unfit for children. It's a vicious cycle of homelessness because while paying to stay at these hotels it's nearly impossible to save for first and last months rent to get out of the situation.

Jean once had a home, a car, and a better life for her family. Unfortunately, we are going to see more families losing everything and facing homelessness.

I am glad that we have people like Paul taking real action to help people. We need more to step up. We need you!



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Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• mark
• horvath
• homeless
• homeless families
• st charles county
• st louis
• invisiblepeople.tv
• mark horvath
• mothers
• hotels
• poverty
• recession
• economy

[TheMouanology]

So many despicable comments against this struggling family. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves for not showing some humanity to people such as these.

[balikitty]

I have never been homeless, but, just from watching this, and other media about the homeless, It can happen to anyone. Alot of people do not realize this. They think all homeless want to stay homeless, people need to realize, it can happen to anyone. It can happen to entire families. I never thought It could happen to me, until I started reading and watching info on the homeless.

[firebluenew]

how is she doing today?

[Littleone89]

If he's not too badly injured, her husband should try to get a job at the McDonalds that she works at. If she works day-shift, when she gets home, they can switch off and he can work nights. That way there's always at least one of them there to watch the children, and they'll be able to get two full-time paychecks a week instead of just her one. It doesn't sound glamorous or anything, and it certainly isn't for the long-term, but it may help in saving enough money to get a home. I wish them luck

[pathfindercrasher]

THAT IS WHAT THE FUCK I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!! You keep your head up ma! Some get homeless and get picky with the jobs and expect handouts but you up on your toes looking out for your beautiful children regardless of the $7.50/hr job. My heart is with you and your beautiful family.

[erin7375]

Now this is one amazing woman. I pray she soon has a home for her babies and herself.

[ProblemForSolution]

If I ever make money of my music one day I will give a lot of money and help these people out !! I cant help anyone really now because I am living with my mother and we are low on money

[mookixox]

Most of the hate comments are from Atheists (the scum of society). Nuff said.

[LadyApollia]

@chucknorrisgawd - Sir, you need to listen up better before you trash on someone. Don't judge if you don't have the whole picture. As others have mentioned, if you listen to her - they did have a house, and she had a job, before her employer decided to relocate. That's why she lost her job. If you've been paying any attention to the news and the economy in our country, it's really hard to find a job right now no matter what your background. You're under or overqualified for many things.

[LadyApollia]

Mark - I can see why you cried after filming this. It is completely heart breaking. I was one of those kids once, after my parents split up, along with my four brothers and mom. We couch surfed, we lived in tents, we stayed in motels. I do count myself lucky that (knock on wood) I and my family - my two kids and my husband - have never had to do this.

Mark - have you kept in touch with Jean? Do you know how she and her family are doing? I would love to attempt to do something to help them.

[rotormeeeeeeee]

She is grateful because she's OK compared to those with bad luck living under bridges - This is a lesson for us all.

[vcdaniels]

@Koopa512

How convenient for the sociopathic 2% that would love to exploit them and play them for suckers. Are we to count you among those 2%?