Duluth woman learns about homelessness by becoming homeless

Christie Gingles of Duluth says she has a new understanding and compassion for the homeless; being homeless will do that to a person.

She got sick last year. Then got sicker. Mold forced her out of her home and she found it too expensive to find rental housing in the city. With only a part-time job and no homeowner’s insurance, she couldn’t fix up the place.

When she moved into an apartment, it also had mold. She lost her rent money, and the deposit.

So she lived out of her car.

Since her story aired Monday on KBJR, she’s found shelter with a women’s cooperative, she says in a follow-up story.

What did she learn about homelessness?

“I’ve learned how hard it is,” she said. “I’ve learned how stressful it is. I’ve learned how much work it is.”