(ABC 6 News) – Staff and friends of The Landing MN met Saturday morning for a panel discussion on the realities of homelessness at Hope Summit Christian Church in Rochester.

The Landing MN wants to educate the community about the struggles the homeless community deals with on a day-to-day basis.

One staff member from The Landing MN shared his personal experience having been homeless, which he says could be summed up in one word: “traumatizing.”

There was also a Mayo Clinic Psychiatric Resident who discussed how PTSD can contribute to someone becoming homeless. He said around half of the homeless people he’s worked with suffer from PTSD.

Operations Manager for The Landing MN, Shawna Bowman, says the discussion is meant to allow people to ask any questions they have about the realities of homelessness.

“There’s a lot of trauma that’s entailed with being somebody experiencing homelessness and what they go through in a day,” said Bowman.

The Landing MN is a day center offering a warm place for homeless individuals to stay between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. They offer three meals a day, showers, laundry, and medical and social services.