EAGLE RIVER - What began as a simple favor for a friend at church has turned into a schoolwide campaign to help end homelessness in the Northwoods.

Teacher Ann Hewitt was asked to hang posters for a Northwoods Alliance for Temporary Housing fundraiser when she realized she could do so much more, "So I talked to some of my coleagues in the social studies department. 'Let's try to bring some awareness, bring this into our social studies curriculum, talk about poverty and homelessness. Especially right before the holidays.' So we've been doing that this week."

They're working to build a symbolic brick house with each dollar donation leading to a stronger home and more funds for NATH....
While the teachers are building a better understanding of this growing problem, Hewitt says, "They don't realize that the Northwoods has one of the fastest growing homeless populations. Because rural homelessness is kind of hard to see. People are in campgrounds and they're out on state lands and they're in cars in parking lots. So our students aren't often aware of that."

The Northland Pines High School's "Brick House" has a goal of raising $250 to help the Frederick Place in Rhinelander.

Story By: Michael Crusan