By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

CUMBERLAND — It was the tragic death four years ago of Brad Boyle, the  son of former Four Corners Community Chapel Pastor Ken Boyle, that opened the eyes of the church’s young people to the homeless problem in Rhode Island.

Most of the kids in the Chapel’s Youth Ministry program had never met or been close to a homeless person before. But Boyle was one of their own. He developed schizophrenia and ended up living on the streets in New Bedford, where he was found dead one morning in the entranceway of a building.
As a response, the church’s teen community mobilized to raise awareness for the growing problem of homelessness in the region. What they came up with was an annual event to coincide with National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week called the Youth Group Homeless Sleepout & Brad-Pack Collection. The kids, about 50 or so, sleep out on a cold winter night in carboard boxes and sleeping bags, huddling around a fire to stay warm.
“The teens learn a cold lesson on what it’s like to be homeless as the temperature drops. With temperatures in the 20s, the kids are dressed warmly and prepare their nests of blankets and sleeping bags, which suffice as a bed for the night,” says Wade Richmond, global information security manager at Sensata Technologies and youth minister at the church. 
They do it, he says, to gain a better understanding of the difficulties homeless people face and to collect donated items like gloves, soap and toothpaste for local homeless shelters.
This year’s 6th annual sleep out will begin at dusk on Saturday, Nov. 29 on the front lawn of Four Corners Community Chapel and conclude the following morning with Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. More than 50 teens ages 12 to 18 from the chruch participated last year and just as many will take part this year. Throughout the night, the kids take part in a series of games and activities, in addition to discussions around the issues of poverty and homelessness.
This year, the students have even more reason to raise awareness. A new national report released earlier this month puts Rhode Island in the top 5 states with the highest percentage of veterans experiencing severe housing cost burden, paying more than 50 percent of their income for rent, which puts them at a high risk for homelessness. Rhode Island comes in at number five behind the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada and California. The report was released by The Homelessness Research Institute, the research and education arm of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
In addition to attracting attention the homeless situation in the state, the Youth Group at Four Corners Community Chapel will be collecting various items to be included in emergency backpacks - called “Brad-Packs” - which they will be assembling and delivering directly to various homeless shelters in the local area.

“Last year, through tremendous church, community and business support, our Youth Group assembled over 100 “Brad-Packs” with enough donated items left over to fill a couple of large boxes that were also delivered to the homeless shelters,” says Richmond. “Our goal this year is to, again, fill at least 100 Brad-Packs.”

Donated items being solicited from the public to be included in the “Brad-Packs” include winter hats, gloves and mittens, scarves, socks, baby wipes, lip balm, soap, shampoo, disposable razors, hard candies, deodorant, combs, toothpaste, tooth brushes, pencils, small note books, and fast food coupons.

Donations can be made at the Four Corners Community Chapel, 200 Angell Road, on the night of the sleep-out.

Last year, about 53 teens took part in the sleep out. In 2006, they assembled and delivered over 100 “Brad Packs” to the residents of Market Ministries in New Bedford, and the homeless distribution center in Providence. Last year, they also assembed 15 bags for young children in a New England shelter.

“This is the 6th year we’re holding this event,” says Richmond. “The kids typically arrive at 5 p.m. and until midnight we have games, sing-alongs with a guitar and drums, and plenty of fun. Quiet time begins at midnight and I announce ‘bed time’ at 1 a.m., although I’m not sure how many of the kids actually sleep. The parents arrive around 7 the next morning to prepare breakfast for the group. It’s cold during the night, but we have a bon fire going all night and soup and hot chocolate is served inside the church.”

Corporate support this year comes from Ann & Hope, CVS Pharmacies, Mercer (Marsh & McLennan Companies), Ocean State Job Lot and Sensata Technologies.
For more information on how to donate items for the event, call the chapel at 401-333-6171