Darryl Pedicord's Death

Date of the Event: November 16th

What's The Gist?

After First Steps Services shut down, people like Darryl had nowhere to go to get their needs to stay alive. Once he died, the people who now call their work the Grace Welcome Center decided to make a change in our society to help others.

Darryl Pedicard the night before the closing of First Step Services.
People in Kenosha making a movement for shelters after Darryl Pedicard's death.

What are the details?

“We lost our first homeless person out there and, sad to say, there’s going to be more unless we get a wet shelter going,” Krisor said.

  • Krisor felt bad because since First Step Services shut down, there were needy people that needed to be cared for.

Krisor said she also believes the city could have done more to save the shelter.

  • It states that the service before didn’t try their hardest to keep up their business. They didn’t do everything they could.

Krisor said Pedicard had his ups and downs but was a "sweet gentleman and very kind-hearted."

  • First Step Services really enjoyed caring for not only Pedicard but everyone that had respected their helpfulness.

The frozen body of a homeless man was found in a downtown Kenosha used car lot just a day after local clergy warned that homeless people are at risk of dying this winter due to a lack of adequate shelter.

  • Since Darryl Pedicard had nowhere to go, he found shelter in a used car lot and slept in there overnight. Unfortunately, he did not make it and this sparked everything for the Grace Welcome Center.

"We really hope his life isn't in vain but it causes some urgency in that we need some emergency shelter for those who are homeless," Krisor said.

  • At that time, Krisor was very worried about how other homeless people would stay alive during the winter. They had no shelters to go to.

Who was involved? How were they were involved?

First Step Services: The original shelter that provided safe spots for the homeless individuals or families.

Darryl Pedicard: The homeless man that was a usual at First Step Services. After they shut down, he was the man who stayed in the car for shelter but unfortunately didn’t make it through the night.

Grace Welcome Center: The shelter that provides hope and food and shelter for the homeless. After Pedicard’s death, that sparked them to fill the shoes of First Step Services and help those in need.

Why is this event/moment important to the Uptown Community and greater Kenosha?

The Grace Welcome Center was influenced by Darryl Pedicords death to start their journey helping out those in need in our community.

Sources:

Homeless man's death raises concern for emergency housing _ Local News _ kenoshanews.com.pdf
Homeless man's death raises concern for emergency housing
(Kenosha News Nov. 24th, 2017)
CUSH Warning Comes Home To Roost In Death Of A Homeless Man
(WTGD 2017)
Kenosha Man's Death Highlights Need For Homeless Shelter
(Wisconsin Public Radio Nov. 23rd 2017)
Homeless man death spotlights crisis in Kenosha
(TMJ4 News Dec 6th, 2017)

Author of Web Page

Brenna Adamczyk an 8th Grade at Harborside Academy (May 2022)