Feeding the homeless

Have you been to your local homeless shelter lately? I highly (9:25am, first kid in for good from outside) (NOT WORTH IT!!!!) (WET SHIT EVERYWHERE!!!! THE CARPET, OH THE HUMANITY!!!) recommend you go and check it out, just for "fun".

We got a tour this time- when we served breakfast before, we didn't. The room that the 22 ladies sleep in is just that- a very small room with nothing in it but those little mats on the floor for them to sleep on. They each get sheets and a blanket and pillow for a week, which are kept in plastic garbage bags at night. They can have a locker to keep their personal things in so they don't have to haul them around during the day. This shelter serves breakfast, and gives them a bag lunch to take with during the day- they are not allowed in the shelter during the day, after breakfast. Everyone out by 8am. Some people do work, some don't have anywhere to go cept for outside. They are allowed back in at 6pm, and dinner is served at 7pm.

The men's side, which holds 44 men, is the same. We saw their donation room- the first things people run out of and need the fastest is socks and underwear. Didn't occur to me. They can't keep those things in stock. They keep feminine products for the ladies- did that occur to you? It didn't me. Of course they need those and where would they get them? They no longer keep clothes for them because there is just no room to store them all. NO ROOM.

Volunteers make the meals. This shelter doesn't have a food shelf. People come in and give their time by making meals, like we did last night. Home made meals. Other people but together sandwhiches for the lunches. There is a staff, but it's not run by them- it's "run" by the volunteers. There are 2 overnight volunteers who take 4 hour shifts each, to help people because they get scared sleeping in a room full of other men or women that they don't know. Of course, some of them do know one another by now. And they open breakfast and dinner to former shelter guests who are now in housing but can't afford to feed themselves because they are paying for a roof over their heads.

It reminded me of the food shelf that we toured after the food drive we did. It seemed like there was a lot of food, but then you see how much they go through in one day- IN ONE DAY...the need is so great that if they don't constantly solicit for donations, it's over. Isn't it sad that places have to beg for help? Here we are. You're reading this sitting in a warm place. You're probably not hungry and if you are, you'll eat. We take SO MUCH for granted. And now, it's snowing. Right now there are people out on the street because there is no where to go, and they are just thankful that in another 9 hours they will get to go into the shelter again to have a hot dinner.

Go. Call and ask for a tour, it takes 10 minutes for a tour- maybe 15 if it's a SUPER SHELTER. I haven't seen the local family shelter, I'm going to.
And we're going to gather up all the blankets we have sitting around here and wash em, and bring em to the shelter. 9:45am- child #5 shows up at the house. What's one more set of wet nasty clothes and boots in the entry way that's already overflowing. Child #6 9:45:39. But at least they are all IN now. And I'd rather them be here than their house, where the Wii rules.


Anyway, last night was great. We went through all the chili we made, and it was perfect. Some people had 2nds, even 3rds and that made me the happiest- FULL BELLIES!!!! Many were very excited that it was home made chili. CJ and Josh were ROCKSTARS- they helped set up and serve. Many guests thanked them for helping, and both said they enjoyed it. Which is good because we're going to do it again December 30th. At first I was scared to death that we'd run out of food. Every time I looked up the line wasn't getting any shorter, but it turns out that we did PERFECT. I'm SO thankful to all of our friends who helped out by making food or helping serve (CHUCK! ROCKSTAR!!!!!!!!). I loved it, and I want to do whatever I can to help the shelter. We take it for granted that the shelters are up and running and that "those" people have somewhere to go, but do you know what? They aren't running by themselves, and there's a constant need for items and help there. THANK GOD other people are helping them, right? I'm not there helping right now, and neither are you, and I'm grateful others are stepping up, much more often than we are, but we're going to do our part.
One of the men said "Some people are out trying to get lucky on a Friday night. Others (meaning us) are out trying to help someone who's down on their luck."

Josh is helping me plan the next meal. :) I think I smell a new family tradition.