Springfield homeless advocate Benson wins national service award

Julie Benson said her ministry to the homeless population in Springfield began with a whisper from God.

"I had no idea what that meant, and I had no idea where to start," Benson admitted recently. "So I told my church friends at (the now-defunct Rolling Prairie Baptist Church in Rochester) I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I was going to do something.

"(Later) I got an email that said one of the shelters in town was having problems because of the 2016 (state of Illinois) budget crisis. I started a Facebook page and I started collecting hats, gloves, scarves, hand warmers, blankets. I went out and I opened the door to my car trunk and started asking people, 'Can I help you with some winter items?' It snowballed from there."

Benson, who still directs the 501(c)(3) Helping the Homeless as a one-person operation, recently won the Service to Mankind Award from Sertoma, Inc. after being nominated by the Springfield club. It is the group’s highest recognition for a community volunteer.

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The late Leo J. Havey, Jr. won the Sertoma award on a national basis in 1997. A Springfield businessman and former School District 186 board of education president, Havey volunteered for a number of civic activities including the Mary Bryant Home for the Blind, St. John's Hospital Advisory Board, the Friend-in-Deed program and the Mayor's Citizens Advisory Committee.

Benson was recognized at a reception at the Salvation Army building Sunday. Both Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Jim Langfelder issued proclamations declaring Sunday "Julie Benson Day."

In the fall, Benson will speak at Sertoma's international gathering in Indianapolis.

"They thought her mission was something that was exceptional," said Greg Lueken, the Springfield Sertoma Club's president.

On a recent afternoon outside of Lincoln Library, Lavene Lurks talked to Benson about outfitting his near west side apartment with furniture.

"I do know something about getting furniture, so you need to call me," Benson reminded him.

Lurks admitted being on the streets started taking a toll on him. He felt empty, depressed and stressed.

"I was homeless, drinking, drugging," Lurks said. "I was here just like they were, and I ended up getting myself together. I've been in my place since March. I still stumble every now and then.

"Julie told me in so many words, 'Don't let this be your life.' I thank God for her and all of us out here should. She's so wonderful."

Sitting on the Seventh Street steps of First Presbyterian Church, Sylvester Anderson admitted he has had his ups and downs mental health-wise.

Anderson, who came to Springfield from St. Louis about 12 years ago, has schizophrenia and is bi-polar but goes to his mental health appointments and takes his medication.

"There isn't anybody," Anderson said, "who owes me anything, so whatever I get is a blessing. I've been through my ups and downs and stuff, and she's never looked at me any differently every day that she's seen me."

The homeless community has gotten to know Benson on a regular basis in her ever-present white van, handing clothing or water or fresh meals.

Anderson had his reservations about Benson initially.

"When I first met her, I was kind of, like, she's like all the rest of them, but I do that to everybody to see where they're coming from," Anderson admitted. "I've put my trust in a lot of people and I'd turn around and things would go another way. Julie's been straightforward with me. She's been like a mother to me, like my little sister.

"She's really a beautiful person."

Benson grew up in Springfield and knew there were homeless shelters. She admitted she wasn't cognizant of the level of desperation until she started her ministry.

"Nothing in my life," Benson said, "is horrible compared to some of the stories that I hear. I'm not crying about what's happening to me. (For some of the people) it's the lack of support from family and friends. For some of them, the homeless community folks are all they have.

"They call me 'Mama.' They call me 'Miss Julie.' Some of them say that I'm their mom now that their mom is gone, or their mom doesn't talk to them anymore. The love that I get from doing this every day is truly a blessing."

People wanted to know what the catch was when Benson first started out. Now she has an array of community partners, including restaurants which donate leftover food to her to distribute.

"I started coming out every weekend, then I started coming out here at night, then I started coming down here on my lunch hour, then before work," said Benson, who has been doing the ministry full time since 2019 when she retired from Henson Robinson Company. "I can't do it without the support of the community, who says, 'We see you out there. We know what you're doing. We support you.'

"I'm not a social worker, so I wasn't trained for this. But I have the ability to listen to people and hear what they say and try to get them connected."

Benson said she hoped the award would keep the homelessness issue in the community on the front burner.

"This whole thing for me is about keeping the awareness alive," she said. "Don't forget that there are people out there living on the streets. I get to go home at night. These people have stories. Everybody has a story and some of them are worse than others.

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"I will tell you that I will take credit for waking this town up. Before I started going out, there were people going out, but nobody spoke about it. It was like the little hidden secret in town. There are more people active out doing things."

Langfelder sung Benson's praises at Sunday's reception, saying she has done "God's work" in the city.

"She's been a great advocate for getting (those people off the streets) and getting them the services they need," Langfelder said Sunday. "We've had our challenges and we don't always see eye-to-eye, but I think everyone wants the same goal: how do we get people housed and how do we provide them the services they need so they can flourish in life as best as possible."

Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory told Benson to keep the pressure on the city council as far as the homelessness issue is concerned.

"I've seen her crying on the news.  I've seen her passionate," Gregory said at the reception." She's even gotten on us (to prioritize) our homeless community. We really try to work with Julie and do all we can to help her out in her ministry."

At age 65, Charles Miller found himself homeless for the first time after a restaurant he worked at closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Miller felt the homeless were in the shadows, invisible to a lot of people.

"Springfield should know what we're going through," said Miller, who has three grown children and five grandchildren. "There are a lot of people out here who shouldn't be--maybe--but they are. (The community) should be more sympathetic to the people who don't have anywhere to go."

Miller said there are other "Julies" helping the homeless out and he said was grateful for them all.

But there's only one "Miss Julie."

"She actually cares about the community. She cares about the direction an individual is going. She cares about what she can make better for you. That," said Miller, fighting back tears behind his sunglasses, "is a beautiful woman.

"I love her. I do."

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Helping the Homeless' Julie Benson of Springfield gets national award