Monique lives in a tent in the forest near Hayden that has been her home for months. She wears two pairs of long johns on cold nights, has no air mattress, and relies on Fresh Start for occasional meals, showers and computer access. She is sober, and free of alcohol and drugs.

Monique is just one of the many homeless people in our area. A one-day count on the bitter cold Jan. 25 of this year showed 427 homeless people in our area. That figure is misleading. It does not include those never discovered in the rugged terrain surrounding our city, or those who won't admit homelessness for fear of losing their children. I estimate, based on my experiences, that the true number of homeless approaches 2,000.

Do you think that this could never happen to you? With our economy the way it is today, many folks are just one paycheck away from being homeless.

The heartbreaker is that 25 percent of our homeless are children. One in 25 Idaho children do not know where their next meal is coming from.

A misconception is that these people just need a bus ticket out of Coeur d'Alene. In reality, 80 percent of them are from here. Twelve percent are veterans, 18 percent are victims of domestic violence, and 30 percent have a mental or physical disability.

Coeur d'Alene is no longer the town where I grew up. Jobs were plentiful then, and many people worked in the mines or one of our five lumber mills. Today, our town is a city of contrasts. I see two people and maybe a dog, living in a $500,000 mansion, while some of our young people live with their parents, and struggle with a 20-hours-a-week, minimum-wage job. It used to be that kids took in their parents as they grew older. Now it's just the opposite - some young people end up living with their parents or grandparents.

Four years ago I started my first homeless campout at Harding School. Frankly, some opposed my idea. That has all changed.

At the campout, the public is invited for a free meal that my generous volunteers provide. The homeless are also invited to this free meal. People get to see the faces of the homeless.

There I see the change. This campout has grown steadily over the years. Last year, we collected more than five large truckloads of clothing, boots, coats, sleeping bags, blankets and canned goods. A couple from Priest River drove all the way down here to donate new sleeping bags. I see incredible generosity from people here.

I camp out to demonstrate what it's like to weather the elements in the winter (one year it snowed). The homeless don't have the luxury to pick a day to camp out. They do this every day. They can't seek shelter unless it's colder than 25 degrees. They end up having to guess when it's less than 25 degrees and when to come to town.

The Bible says: "A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others, will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25. It brought tears to my eyes to see our community unite for this common cause.

Come to St. Pius Catholic Church, Sixth and Haycraft, Coeur d'Alene, on Friday, Nov. 22 from 5 p.m. and throughout the evening to make your donations and enjoy great food, a warm fire and entertainment. If you can't make the event, contact me directly before that evening, for early pickup of your donations.

Steve Bell is a Coeur d'Alene attorney and resident. Email: stevemarathon@gmail.com