Gospel musician Jeff Majors watched a former Howard University professor slowly sift through a trash barrel on campus, searching for food.

"It hurt," said Majors, who had met the professor a few years earlier on one of his visits to Howard University. "To see that he was homeless, I realized that it could happen to me."

After that "moment of spiritual awakening" in August 2006, Majors said he made a point to spend time with homeless people to see how they survived from day to day. Since then, the harpist and TV show host has been trying to raise awareness about homelessness in America.

On Thursday, Majors was to kick off an 11-city tour outside Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. He will work with Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, a program dedicated to feeding the poor and homeless in Atlanta. They will distribute food and blankets.

Majors and several other gospel artists were expected to hold a concert as well. He even put together a song titled "Beggar" for his upcoming album, "Sacred Major 7," due to be released in January. It features the late R&B singer Gerald Levert.

"It was Gerald Levert's last song, so it makes it even more of an important song," Majors said.

Event co-director Elisabeth Omilami said Majors' song should encourage those who are dealing with stress and depression.

"This was a young man who had his heart touched," said Omilami, daughter of civil rights activist Hosea Williams. "I could tell somewhere along the line that Christ touched him after his heart was broken. He had to do what he is doing, because it's a calling."

Majors said it was a simple decision because of the sheer number of homeless people.

"This is not a one-day problem. It's an everyday situation," said Majors, host of TV One's "The Gospel of Music with Jeff Majors," which has showcased artists such as Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams, American Idol Winner Ruben Studdard and Grammy nominated Yolanda Adams.

Other cities on his tour include Baltimore; Philadelphia; Houston; Washington; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Charlotte, N.C.; Detroit; Indianapolis; and Richmond, Va.

In 2006, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimated that 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness. The organization ranked Atlanta as the fourth "meanest" city for treating the homeless.

"Homelessness covers different boundaries," Majors said. "Whether it's white collar, blue collar or no collar, homelessness has an effect on every class. It's not discriminatory. It is devastating our country. We have to identify it."

___

On the Net:

Jeff Majors: http://www.jeffmajors.com

Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless: http://www.hoseafeedthehungry.com

National Coalition for the Homeless: http://www.nationalhomeless.org

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