Roses are Red and Sometimes Blue

Roses are Red and Sometimes Blue
Milan David Richardson
Scott Bolohan
February 5, 2008

On a cold Saturday morning Rose Hannigan walks into a neighborhood coffee shop to warm herself before embarking on a search for cans, coins, and Valentine camaraderie.

Homeless, Hannigan is known in the Lakeview area for her personable nature, ruby red jogging pants, and chatting up customers from a corner chair at Argo Tea. “I saved my coins for three days last year to get these pants,” she told one man while fumbling through her red mesh pockets for a Tootsie Roll, the start to a plethora of discarded chocolates she hopes to find post-Valentine’s Day.

“I love Valentine’s Day and here they have it in a cup,” Hannigan said. “ValenTea,” a hibiscus flower and pomegranate February promotional beverage by Argo Tea (see video at the bottom of the page), has fast become a favorite amongst regulars and people like Hannigan who struggles to stay warm.

Argo Tea manager Alex Langenfeld admits to breaking the rules every now and then by offering hot tea to local homeless right before closing for the night. “It's just hot water but it makes the difference in them feeling warm for that evening,” Langenfeld said. It's a sentiment people like Hannigan seem to appreciate during the “love month” that for some brings negative thoughts.

While most girls her age are preparing gowns for senior prom, 19-year-old Hannigan prudently organizes a Red Eye newspaper into her jacket to keep herself warm for another day. “Its not easy, but I get by,” Hannigan said. “People help me out if they can around the holidays. I think it makes them feel better about me having to sleep out in the cold over Valentine’s Day,” a feeling some Chicago residents understand very well.

Hannigan is one of 26,000 homeless youths living in Illinois according to the Lakeview Action Coalition. Not-for-profit, non-denominational groups such as The Night Ministry on Chicago's North Side, are working extra hard to tend to the needs of those without shelter. “Since 1976, The Night Ministry has served Chicago’s most vulnerable youth and adults," Night Ministry Coordinator for Public and Media Relations Kari McLean said. "We accept people where they are regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual/gender orientation, or social status.”

The group distributes warm meals and clothes to the less fortunate, providing Hannigan and many others the necessities to make it through another day. "During winter, we see a lot of people with frostbite," Mark Bradley, Night Ministry Director of Outreach & Health Ministry said. "We give out a lot of coats and gloves. People are driven into the shelters or they'll die from exposure."

Bradley said that about 200 people a day visit the shelter in the winter, but their youth housing programs turn away two or three youths every day because of only 32 beds available.

At The Night Ministry, they don’t forget about Valentine’s Day either. McLean said they were planning a youth Valentine’s dance a few days before Valentines Day and the Youth Outreach Team will have some Valentine's goodies at their street outreach program Valentine's night.

Hannigan may not be struck by Cupid’s arrow this year, but with places like Argo Tea and The Night Ministry out there, she can still be shown some love this Valentine’s Day.