Lubbock Man Lives On Streets For One Week, Learns About Homelessness

"We interacted with the homeless people here just to try and gain some perspective on what they go through the colder part of the year," Jackson said.

Chad Jackson wanted to see what it would be like to be homeless for a week.

"I really learned that they are no different," Jackson said.  "I mean they don't have a home to live in or anything, but a lot of them have jobs and they are very kind people."

From Sunday December 16^th to Saturday the 22^nd, twenty two year old Jackson and 20 year old Chase Smith spent the week living on the streets.

Jackson brought 15 dollars with him in case of an emergency but besides that the boys lived just as homeless would.  

"Well somebody provides a meal for everyday whether its Jacobs Ladder or the Salvation Army, so we really ate well," Jackson said.

Jackson said the borrowed sleeping bags from a friend to keep warm at night.

"We slept where there were other people usually," Jackson said. "Like I said they stay in some close knit groups, so we wanted to interact with them and see what they do at night."

Jackson spent one of his evenings sleeping in the alley way behind Carpenters Church.

He said on a normal night 15 people could be sleeping there.

"It is either keep warm or freeze to death," Rodriguez said.

Justina Rodriguez is homeless.  

He has no form of identification.

Without one he can not stay at a shelter, so he has no choice but to sleep on the streets.

"I have on four hoodies and a jacket and I got gloves, I got a hat and I've got lots and lots of blankets," Rodriguez said.  "So I am going to stay warm regardless of where ever I go."

Jackson met Rodriguez while he was homeless.

He said meeting theses people and seeing how they lived taught him to appreciate his life a little more.  

"I will never take what I have for granted again," Jackson said. "I will always appreciate the little things."