Take a seat: 24-hour Pocatello event opens conversation about homelessness
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POCATELLO — For 24 straight hours this week, two Pocatello men will sit on a bench and invite anyone who walks by to sit down and talk.
The conversations may be about homelessness, addiction or poverty. They may be about hope, faith or simply what it means to be heard.
Beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday and continuing through 1 p.m. on Friday, Valley Mission director Karl Pettit and board president Mike Popovich will take part in Conversations on a Bench, a 24-hour livestreaming event that encourages honest conversations about homelessness and the people experiencing it.
The event will take place outside Valley Mission, 442 N. Arthur Ave. in Pocatello, and the public is invited to stop by at any point during the 24 hours.
Valley Mission is a faith-based Pocatello nonprofit that provides food, emergency shelter, street outreach and other support to people experiencing homelessness and hardship. The organization helps individuals move from crisis toward greater stability through case management, life-skills programs, and connections to community resources.
Organizers say there’s always room for one more conversation, and there is no script. Community members, city leaders, volunteers, donors and passersby are welcome to sit down with Pettit and Popovich to share a story, ask questions or simply listen.
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“Meaningful change begins when people are willing to listen to one another,” Pettit said. “Whether someone stops by with questions, concerns or simply curiosity, there’s always room for one more conversation.”
This is the second year Valley Mission has participated in Conversations on a Bench, which is organized through Citygate Network. Nearly 100 gospel-centered ministries across North America are expected to participate in similar conversations.
Organizers say the goal is to create a space where people can talk openly about homelessness, addiction and poverty while challenging assumptions and recognizing the dignity of those whose lives have been affected by those issues.
Join the conversation in person or online
You don’t have to visit Pocatello to participate.
The entire 24-hour event will be livestreamed, allowing viewers to follow the conversations, submit questions and send prayer requests online.
The livestream also begins at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Details on accessing the live stream and additional information are posted below, with more information available at valleymission.org.
Event Details
- When: Thursday, Oct. 8, beginning at 1 p.m. MDT (24-hour event)
- Where: Valley Mission, 442 N. Arthur Ave. in Pocatello
- Livestream: facebook.com/share/19oWTEGnyQ/