Brown Bag Coalition says you count in the census to people that are homeless
"We all Count," says BB Coalition co-founder Maribel Padilla
EL CENTRO, Calif.(KYMA, KECY) - You count, I count, We all count is what the Brown Bag Coalition is saying to a group of people who have been historically told they do not-people that are homeless.
Maribel Padilla, Co-founder of Brown Bag Coalition distributed water, Gatorade, popsicles, chips, and a census shirt made by Planned Parenthood in Calexico.
She also was collecting signatures and counting people that are experiencing homelessness in Calexico for the Census.
“And that's the first thing they tell me I don’t count and I said yes you do every single person counts and because you feel that way then you never get counted and that’s the problem then the city doesn’t get the money it deserves the resources would go to you guys,” said Maribel Padilla, Co-founder of Brown Bag Coalition.
For one man living on the streets, he says filling out the census makes him feel like he matters.
“One is a field worker for example and I feel helpless and some of us don’t have where to live or what to eat. And we have depression and really don’t know where to go, and we matter the same although sometimes people think we don’t,” said Manuel, Field Worker.
People experiencing homelessness have already been a tough community to reach and with the COVID-19 pandemic, they have been even harder to reach.
“We have nowhere to stay you’re neither from here or there, and you’re in two fires because you’re in two pile of straws and you either die here or there.”
“To me, the homeless population is not invisible I see them, my volunteers see them and that’s why we’re out here even if I have to stand here sweating somebody’s got to do it,” said Padilla.
Logon to the website below to fill out census.
