VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - People heading toward the Something in the Water music festival down Virginia Beach Boulevard will drive by a purple tent set up next to a Volkswagen van.
The van is where Nicole Pixler is living for 48 hours: Friday morning to Sunday morning.
The Executive Director of StandUp for Kids Hampton Roads is hoping to raise $48,000 to help support the nonprofit, which provides shelter and support for homeless and disconnected children and young adults, serving more than 6,000 meals last year.
“The first 48 hours being the most vulnerable time that a youth is on the street. Within the first 48 hours, they can be lured into prostitution, introduced to drugs, trafficked," said Pixler. "The $48,000 will help me take a lot of the kids locally off the street and into our emergency shelter (in Virginia Beach)."
News 3 caught up with her 24 hours into the 48-hour commitment, in front of Zero's Subs in the Virginia Beach ViBe District.
Pixler said Friday morning's rain was uncomfortable, but homelessness isn't comfortable.
“I didn’t want it to be rays of sunshine," she said, adding that she's been visited by many of the kids she helps support and plenty of people heading to Something in the Water and other events in the area.
In 2022, Pixler says StandUp for Kids took in nearly 60 kids, locally, but that just scratches the surface of the need. The nonprofit says on its website that more than 4 million children in the U.S. are homeless.
The owner of the Zero's Subs where she's staying, Mark Stevens, also lent Pixler the van. He's been involved with StandUp For Kids for years.
“They are out here. They are sleeping in the woods, they are out here in the rain, so we can’t say no when they’re out here," he said of the effort to raise money and awareness.
The thought of kids sleeping outside and becoming a victim is too much for Pixler to bear. She teared up when asked what message she wanted people to hear.
”More than raising money for [the kids], I would rather people come out and show them your face," she said. ”They’re my kids and I want to show them that people care.”
As of Saturday morning, Pixler had raised around $4,000 toward her $48,000 goal. She says although the plan is to stay out for 48 hours, she'll stay longer if people continue to show interest.
For the link to donate and other information, click HERE. You can also reach out Pixler directly at (757) 818-4901.
