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Home Van Newsletter 3/23/09
Hello everybody,
It's been awhile since I've written to you all. With hunger and homelessness on the rise,
it has become quite a challenge to keep this little mission on the road. We have been rethinking what we do in order to come up with new strategies. With warm weather here,
I am getting out of the used clothing business altogether, except for the clothes that are
given to me week to week by Haven Hospice Thrift Shop. I'm also no longer collecting
large, bulky items like blankets and backpacks, except for the ones given to me by Hospice.
Collecting, storing, sorting and distributing clothing and bulky items are taking up a lot of space and energy that I no longer have. The one exception I am making to "bulky donations" is tents and tarps, since these items can give someone a home of sorts.
The Home Van is going to be focusing almost entirely on food, personal hygiene products,socks, candles and 'fun stuff,' such as paperback books, playing cards, games, art supplies, pen and notebooks, and cosmetics. These items are easy for me to manage and they lift people's spirits. When we originally started the Home Van, we wanted to have some focus on the recreational needs of homeless people. That goal went by the board, to some extent, as we got caught up in a rising tide of bad economic times. Now we are returning to that goal. Recreation is important. Human beings need play in our lives, and homeless people have few opportunities to play. In my personal opinion, it is dangerous to be in a situation where drinking beer is the only way to relax, whether one is an alcoholic or not.
One of my greatest joys is watching our homeless friends 'shop' in the little free store in the back compartment of the Home Van - seeing the huge smiles when they find a lipstick or a checkers set. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only 'shopping' these folks get to do, and it is a huge treat.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL NEWSLETTER
Our parent organization, St. Vincent de Paul, has started an email newsletter. This newsletter is oriented toward people of the Catholic faith, and is also focused on SVDP's core mission of helping those in need. In order to subscribe to this newsletter, send an email to James at
SVdP@catholic.org
LAURIE
Those of you who work in service organizations will remember Laurie. We met Laurie a few years ago. She was 35 years old and recently discharged from prison on a drug charge. She had spent almost half of her young life in prison, a victim of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. She was now homeless and suffering from HIV. We worked with Laurie over the next few years, and it was quite a challenge to help her. She had a bright spirit, but was difficult to help, as is often the case.
I hadn't seen Laurie in many months and then, this weekend, I got a phone call from her sister, who found my phone number in Laurie's personal possessions. Laurie died last Tuesday, after six months of being cared for and loved by her sister Brandy.
Brandy wants everyone to know that Laurie came from a very good family who loved her unconditionally. When Laurie was 12 she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her life began spinning out of control, with addictions and rebellious criminal behavior. Her family
lost her.
In the years since, Brandy has been a major volunteer and participant in the Homeless Coalition where she lives. She said, "I knew that someone, somewhere, was helping Laurie, and I wanted to pay it forward." Six months ago Brandy reconnected with Laurie and was with her, literally night and day, for the last six months of Laurie's life. She told me, "For the first time, I met my big sister and found out who she really was, underneath all the mental illness and addictions. I found a loving, caring, intelligent person who I was proud to claim as my sister. We achieved love and peace and closure." Brandy wants everyone to know about Laurie, and how important our work is, and what it can mean to homeless people and their families. She says, "Some people get lost in this world. Laurie got lost."
Let us all continue to help those people who get lost, and to 'pay it forward.'
Love to you all,
arupa
______________________________________________________________________________
The Home Van needs Vienna sausages, creamy peanut butter, jelly, socks, candles, tents, tarps, recreational supplies, and money. Financial donations to the Home Van should be made out to St. Vincent de Paul, earmarked for the Home Van, and mailed to 307 SE 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601.
It's been awhile since I've written to you all. With hunger and homelessness on the rise,
it has become quite a challenge to keep this little mission on the road. We have been rethinking what we do in order to come up with new strategies. With warm weather here,
I am getting out of the used clothing business altogether, except for the clothes that are
given to me week to week by Haven Hospice Thrift Shop. I'm also no longer collecting
large, bulky items like blankets and backpacks, except for the ones given to me by Hospice.
Collecting, storing, sorting and distributing clothing and bulky items are taking up a lot of space and energy that I no longer have. The one exception I am making to "bulky donations" is tents and tarps, since these items can give someone a home of sorts.
The Home Van is going to be focusing almost entirely on food, personal hygiene products,socks, candles and 'fun stuff,' such as paperback books, playing cards, games, art supplies, pen and notebooks, and cosmetics. These items are easy for me to manage and they lift people's spirits. When we originally started the Home Van, we wanted to have some focus on the recreational needs of homeless people. That goal went by the board, to some extent, as we got caught up in a rising tide of bad economic times. Now we are returning to that goal. Recreation is important. Human beings need play in our lives, and homeless people have few opportunities to play. In my personal opinion, it is dangerous to be in a situation where drinking beer is the only way to relax, whether one is an alcoholic or not.
One of my greatest joys is watching our homeless friends 'shop' in the little free store in the back compartment of the Home Van - seeing the huge smiles when they find a lipstick or a checkers set. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only 'shopping' these folks get to do, and it is a huge treat.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL NEWSLETTER
Our parent organization, St. Vincent de Paul, has started an email newsletter. This newsletter is oriented toward people of the Catholic faith, and is also focused on SVDP's core mission of helping those in need. In order to subscribe to this newsletter, send an email to James at
SVdP@catholic.org
LAURIE
Those of you who work in service organizations will remember Laurie. We met Laurie a few years ago. She was 35 years old and recently discharged from prison on a drug charge. She had spent almost half of her young life in prison, a victim of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. She was now homeless and suffering from HIV. We worked with Laurie over the next few years, and it was quite a challenge to help her. She had a bright spirit, but was difficult to help, as is often the case.
I hadn't seen Laurie in many months and then, this weekend, I got a phone call from her sister, who found my phone number in Laurie's personal possessions. Laurie died last Tuesday, after six months of being cared for and loved by her sister Brandy.
Brandy wants everyone to know that Laurie came from a very good family who loved her unconditionally. When Laurie was 12 she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her life began spinning out of control, with addictions and rebellious criminal behavior. Her family
lost her.
In the years since, Brandy has been a major volunteer and participant in the Homeless Coalition where she lives. She said, "I knew that someone, somewhere, was helping Laurie, and I wanted to pay it forward." Six months ago Brandy reconnected with Laurie and was with her, literally night and day, for the last six months of Laurie's life. She told me, "For the first time, I met my big sister and found out who she really was, underneath all the mental illness and addictions. I found a loving, caring, intelligent person who I was proud to claim as my sister. We achieved love and peace and closure." Brandy wants everyone to know about Laurie, and how important our work is, and what it can mean to homeless people and their families. She says, "Some people get lost in this world. Laurie got lost."
Let us all continue to help those people who get lost, and to 'pay it forward.'
Love to you all,
arupa
______________________________________________________________________________
The Home Van needs Vienna sausages, creamy peanut butter, jelly, socks, candles, tents, tarps, recreational supplies, and money. Financial donations to the Home Van should be made out to St. Vincent de Paul, earmarked for the Home Van, and mailed to 307 SE 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601.
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