ETC
charity
Wear Gloves “IF SOMEBODY’S WILLING TO WORK TO GET THE HELP THEY NEED, WE’RE GOING TO INVEST IN THEM,”
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BY CARLTON REESE
welve years ago, Ken Kebrdle and his wife Wendy embarked on a search for answers to puzzling questions about the nature of homeless people. Always one to give when a person in need had a hand out, Kebrdle believed there must be more to helping homeless people than simply tossing them your loose change and bills. Their four-year journey, accompanied by their 12-year-old daughter, gave them the answers they were looking for and it inspired them to start Wear Gloves, a charity focused on providing homeless people with the opportunity to prove their value in the work force and progress into lives as productive citizens. One of the organization’s mottos
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| OCT 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM
states that it is “dedicated to helping those in need earn what they need.” On his trek around the country, Kebrdle learned first-hand the results of well-intentioned, but pitfall-ridden solutions that are the norm in charitable society. “A lot of the stuff we were doing to help folks was more damaging than helpful,” Kebrdle said. “We learned a lot about the unintended consequences of our giving.” Ken and his family abandoned their old, orthodox lifestyle by quitting their jobs, leaving their house and moving into a van to travel around the country. Along the way, they befriended many homeless people and saw first-hand the lives of those in need. What they discovered completely changed
their perspective on giving. “We were immersed in poverty and learned a lot about it,” Kebrdle said. “We learned about panhandling, we spent time in homeless camps, worked with human trafficking victims, prostitution ministries and just learned the other side of it.” What they learned was that panhandlers shared information and tips on how to make the most money in the least amount of time. “They talk about the benefits of certain types of signs in certain areas: ‘Homeless Veteran, Hungry, Please Help,’” Kebrdle explained. “The thing is, in Ocala there are no homeless veterans and there’re no hungry homeless people in Ocala. They can earn all they need panhandling four hours a week… to take care of their immediate needs.” Kebrdle said that between the numerous homeless shelters and food banks located in the city, there is no reason to go without a meal or sleep under the stars; yet, panhandling abounds. “Right now in Ocala, there are a multitude of jobs and multitude of opportunities, but many of them that are able to work
