PHOENIX, Ariz. — A Navy veteran who’s also a middle school reading teacher is now homeless. It’s not because he lost his job; he’s trying to raise awareness.
Tom Rebman has been traveling across the country for nearly a year on a mission to help end homelessness. Rebman was spending Thursday night in the now-closed Men’s Overflow Shelter. He was spending his last night on the pavement before heading to the streets of Los Angeles.
He says he was inspired after assigning his students to a summer reading program about homelessness. He realized that he couldn’t sit back and read about it anymore. He had to literally experience the plight to help inspire change.
“Going homeless, truthfully, I don’t think I experience, like, half of what they go through because the biggest problem with being homeless is (there’s) no end,” Rebman said.
An honest perspective from a man who’s never been in the unfortunate position of being homeless, rather, he chose to be.
“This is my toiletry section here, which is deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste,” he said of his belongings in his backpack.
Rebman blends right in with homeless population downtown, right down to the worn-out shoes.
His mission is widespread and far reaching, with nearly 15,000 followers on his Homeless and Hungry Facebook page. Rebman posts images and videos of his journey to help educate and raise awareness about the homeless problems in America.
He says he was stunned with what he witnessed here in the valley.
“Over half the people in that lot have major mental disabilities. I mean, schizophrenia, you know, major PTSD,” Rebman said.
He has taken his tattered shoes and very real concerns to lawmakers, advocates and anyone else who will listen.
The Navy veteran is conditioned to fight, and now his battle has become a crusade to end homelessness by using his very talents as an educator and leader.
“I’ve got a lot of opportunities to get in the ears of people that can make change,” he said.
Once he wraps up his two-week mission in Los Angeles, he’s planning to take a little time for family. He will then regroup and address lawmakers right here in Phoenix.
