Surprised By How Many Families Are Living In Campground

**pollypurebred39** · 11-11-2009, 04:40 PM

We attend a family gathering/picnic at a campground that has a pool, showers and a playground. They also have a small laundromat, a small dinner, and they allow pets. This past Summer I was taken aback at how many families were now living at that camp ground. But nothing prepared me for what I saw the other day.

Just recently I was waiting for a stopped school bus in front of said campground. The kids just poured out of that bus, it must have been almost the entire bus. I decided to take a detour and drive thru the campground and was shocked to see most of these kids entering big tents instead of rv's. I asked the owner (happens to be an old school friend of husbands) about it and he said that people are renting sites out for a month at a time and their tents are filled with their furniture from the homes they used to live in.

I can't imagine calling a tent home in the cold Winters of SE PA. Feeling really bad for these families.

**mauimagic** · 11-11-2009, 04:44 PM

Mahalo for sharing Polly. It is shocking - and they may be feeling thankful that they have the campground to go to. There are too many homeless here too. Can only hope and pray that this winter will not be a severe one.

Mahalo for sharing for another reason - when I can - I am going to make some quilts up - it gets cold here too (nothing that can compare with the mainland) - but still cold enough to suffer.

**Nishu** · 11-11-2009, 04:45 PM

Oh wow. Hopefully it's just temporary for these families.

**Lora88** · 11-11-2009, 04:45 PM

Yes its very tough out there and going to get worse I cant imagine that these people can use the campground as an address CPS will have to step in Its going to be way too cold in Pa for kids to live in a tent. My heart goes out to anyone that doesnt even have the basic necessities of life everyone needs a warm home food and clothing. What is happening to America?

**frugalwarrior** · 11-11-2009, 04:50 PM

Everyday it's something else that wrenches at my heart KWIM. The stories are endless and ever flowing. I don't even know what to say anymore so I just pray.

**pollypurebred39** · 11-11-2009, 04:52 PM

This campground rents to RVers and some more permanant small trailers so I guess it falls under a trailer park heading. All spaces are lot numbers and you can put whatever you want there, rv, small trailer, tent. All mail is picked up at front office. I don't know that unless CPS was alerted to this that there would be any hub bub.

**ravenmaniac** · 11-11-2009, 05:42 PM

In my school district we have students that live in the Navy Rec. Center Campground and a campground owned by a large community. I don't know if any of our student's live in tents, but there are small furnished cabins and rustic cabins.

Some of our student's live in homes with no running water. It is hard to believe in this day we would see that, but it happens.

It is heart breaking to think winter is coming and those families you have seen don't have a decent home to live in.

The holidays are coming. I pray as Americans we can be thankful for what we have and maybe dig deep to help others. We do not always have to give money but we could volunteer our time.

**piney** · 11-11-2009, 05:46 PM

That is very sad i fell so bad for people that dont have a warm home and good bed and a way to cook i am afraid there will be a lot more in the town i live in almost all the factory has closed down and on news last week told of another one that has been here since the 1930something.Those poor children.

**larabelle** · 11-11-2009, 07:33 PM

Wow...I feel so ashamed about complaining about my small apartment which is warm and comfortable apartment when there are entire families living in tents.

**Imarachne** · 11-11-2009, 07:36 PM

Why is America, supposed to be so wealthy, having this happen ? Something stinks and its coming from Washington !!

**scrappinmom30** · 11-11-2009, 07:48 PM

I agree that something stinks in Washington. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We are considered a "middle class" family and struggle payday to payday, but I'm thankful we have a warm house to live in and food in our bellies.

**gapeach** · 11-11-2009, 08:02 PM

I feel so bad for these families and that there isn't much that I can do except for them except pray.

**jamie79** · 11-11-2009, 08:21 PM

I live in a town of 9,000 people. In our school system we have 47 children who are considered homeless. The way the school system counts homeless is 2 types. The first is you have somewhere to live but its not your own home, meaning your living with relatives,friends etc. The other is living in a hotel, car or street. There is one kid in the high school who falls into the 2nd catagory. Yds knows him. There are alot of programs in our town and county to help people like this When you register a kid to go to school here, if you need these sevices the school helps you get them. We have 2 food pantries in this small a town. The average salary in this county is $30,000 a yr and the percentage of kids in this county getting free or reduced lunch is 49% so something tells me that if you make $30,000 before taxes your really struggling in todays economy. The biggest employer is the Army post that dh is at. If that were to close this town and a few others would go under