A boy shelter for street people

Introduction: It was about 2 years ago, on a cold night in December, when 11 year old Trevor Ferrel first realized that there were people living out on the streets of Philadelphia, just 12 miles from his nice, comfortable suburban house. Trevor saw a news report about the citys homeless. He ran to tell his parents about this startling _________. Trevor wanted to do something, right away, that night. He wanted his mother and father to take him into the city so he could help someone. His amazed parents resisted the idea at first, but then relented, thinking it would be a good lesson for their ____________ son. They never expected he would want to do it again. They didnt realize what else Trevor would learn that night. Trevor: I saw a man living on the street, when we got into the city, and I brought in a blanket and a pillow that night, and I gave it to the man, and he looked really comfortable, and said, ____________, and it really made me feel good. Neary: It felt so good that Trevor went back the next night, and the next, and the next. Pretty soon, his family ran out of pillows and blankets and old clothes. So they put an ad in a local paper for ________. The paper decided to find out what Trevor and his family were up to, so they interviewed him, and his story was published. Donations poured in; people ___________ help; someone contributed a van. So they started giving out food as well. And now, there is a permanent shelter for the homeless in Philadelphia, dubbed Trevors Place by the people who stay there. Trevors story is the subject of the book, Trevors Place, written by his parents, Frank and Janet Ferrell. Trevors initial act of kindness has become a full time ___________, and Trevor has become close friends with many of the people he met on the streets. Trevor: Theres Chico, Ralph, Big Joe, theres lot Neary: well who are the street people? Whats their background? How did they get to be living in the streets? Trevor: Well, some of them lost their jobs, some of them um, have __________, some of them drink, all it takes is for yuh, for somebody to be out in the streets for 2 or 3 days, and then you start looking dirty, and its its really hard. My dad and I tried staying on the street one night, and we couldnt even try we couldnt take it, we had to leave. Neary: how how did you how did you try, Frank? Ferrell: Oh about 3 or 4 hours, and then we gave up. Uh, we had a home to go back to, and uh we had a _________of our car uh, but, and youd think we would have been able to. I m not proud of that, are you, Trev, that we couldnt do it? Uh, the, the the streets are cold, filthy, uh, how cold was it, Trevor, it was about thirty |Trevor: not that cold Ferrell: no it was about 38 degrees or something, and I thought. Well, thats not going to be so bad. Well, it was so bad, and we had ____________ with us, and we thought wed be able to stand it. But, uh, the sidewalks __________ hard. Yeah, you see, theres _______________ here and there, its, and its not easy. And those people, uh, that spend their lives out there, uh; I dont know how they do it. Neary: And yet you go down there frequently, all the time. At one point, I think you were going every night.

Ferrel: yes, uh, the vans now, theres, its a big operation. The vans go in every night, uh, serving homeless people food food thats generously donated by _____________, and, uh, there are volunteeruh coordinators of the effort, uh individual families. There are over 100 families in the Philadelphia area that cook on a __________________, and food is is taken in and given freely, unconditionally to people that that are on the streets and obviously have a need for, uh, someone, so much more more of a need for the the caring thats exchanged than really the. The food, I guess. Neary: What kind of reaction do you get from the street people when when you go down there and and start

giving things away? . Was it different when you began? Has it changed over the course of time, or do you get a variety of reactions? Trevor: We get a lot of different reactions, a lot of them theyre all good, though. Like they accept the food, and nice; some of them might not accept the food, but after a while, well wear them down, and theyll accept the food. Neary: what do you mean, wear them down? Trevor: like theyll say no, but every night, wed ask them, and theyd say OK Ferrel: eventually. Eventually, they say yeah, and initially they, most of them say yes, because its a youngster thats offering it to them, and not someone __________ and looking down on them, and saying what are you doing out here, you ought to get a job Uh, kids are non- theyre not judgmental, and theyre not _____________, theyre just doing it, because of a heart felt need to, want to reach out somebody. Neary : Trevor, this must have this must have changed your life completely. Trevor: yeah, I m not allowed to. Im not Im allowed, but Im not able to play with my friends as much, and have as much fun as I used. But its all worth it: helping the homeless people on the streets, and seeing how ___________ they are. Neary : Mm hm . Well, how has it changed you? Trevor: Well, I know that Ive learned that many people look scary, but theyre really nice, and to treat people not just because of hat they look like or anything. Neary: so you were _________ when you first went down there. Trevor: the first night, yes, but now I know theres nothing to be afraid of. Neary: Trevor Ferry and his father Frank Ferry, who along with Trevors mother Janet, and with the help of Edward waken has written a book about his sons ________ for the homeless, called Trevors Place. __________ from the book are being donated to Trevors campaign.