On a cold December night in 1983, 11-year-old Trevor Ferrell saw a TV newscast about people living on the streets. Those images stirred a compassion deep within Trevor and he pleaded with his parents to take him to downtown Philadelphia so he could give his blanket and pillow to the first homeless person he met. In ensuing weeks, with the help of family, classmates and neighbors, Trevor made nightly trips into Philadelphia to distribute food, clothing and blankets to the needy. Through hundreds of generous citizens and businesses, this little "campaign" soon grew into places to stay and an entire array of services.
The dream and compassion of one small boy has taken on a life of its own and become an integral part of the vital services offered to the estimated 13,000 homeless of Philadelphia. Since its humble beginnings, the Campaign has grown in its approach and sophistication to how best enable the homeless to regain self-sufficiency. A four-pronged approach has been developed to address the problem of homelessness: outreach, housing and services, redistribution and public education/advocacy.
Every year Trevor's Campaign houses over 100 homeless mothers and children. In addition to comprehensive programming, we also provide them with three healthy meals (and snack) every day - that is over 110,000 meals each year!
While we are fortunate enough to receive the bulk of our food through Philabundance, our food equipment must be purchased, and represents a significant cost to the Campaign. Storing the massive amount of food needed for our families in a safe and protected environment is one of our top priorities. This is why we are asking for your help.
