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Community members join the homeless on the streets tonight. It’s part of a national campaign during Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week.

Organizers and the homeless themselves tell News 13 they just want understanding from the community. Every night, many people call the sidewalks of Downtown Panama City their home. Now they’re sharing the experience.

“’One Night Without a Home’, it’s part of our awareness week of the hungry and homeless that we have in our community,” says Rick Dye with the Panama City Rescue Mission.

“The raccoons are around, the bugs are around, the ants are around. Every once in a while there are strangers who come in and it does get pretty scary,” says Renate Pritchard.

Pritchard is homeless, living on the streets and sleeping in the woods. She and others say they hope this event shows the community they’re people, too; they just need a little help.

“Don’t be scared of us,” says Richard Spnos, also homeless. “We’re just the same person. We’re all human beings.”

“If you can’t pay your rent and you can’t pay your electricity, you don’t got a choice, you live out in the woods,” Spnos says.

“This time last year, I had a home, a two-bedroom apartment, everything you could ever possibly want or need,” Pritchard says. “This year, look at me now.”

Although this event is done every year nationally, this is the first year for Panama City. Organizers hope the 10 or so people who attended can give insight into ways to better assist the homeless in our area.