Helping the community
By TrvlArrngr
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
United States
November 19, 2010 5:53am CST
Every winter my Church does something special for our community. We call it Franklin Street Strangely Warmed. We collect winterwear and then hit the streets at night armed with hot cocoa, hot coffee, sandwiches, and winterwear. We go down all the alleyways and side roads and offer warm coats, hats, scarves, and hot food to the homeless. We offer to take them to shelters and invite them to church. We have already turned one man's life around. He now has a job and an apartment and regularly attend church with us.
I am having a hard time collecting winterwear - I live in an upscale development and none of my neighbors have brought me anything. I know everyone has extra jackets, coats, even blankets. Even at work I am not getting anything. Makes me sad. I am going to go to Goodwill and buy a few jackets tomorrow so we have a few to give out. I hope the rest of our team are successful!
Do they do this type of drive in your area? How successful is it? Any suggestions for collecting more items? Thanks everyone.
3 responses
@buggles64 (2709)
• United States
2 Dec 10
What a wonderful idea! With the economy as poor as it is these days, there are so many families that are homeless due to a variety of circumstances. I just read the other day that the ave of average age of a homeless person is 9 years old..Yes, you read that right...nine years old! It saddens my heart when so many are so well off and a nine year old is forced to live outside, maybe in a family car, or other shelter for a home. If it weren't for my Mom, I don't know where me and my two kids would be. I do know though, that the homeless appreciate what you give.
In our town, we have a coat drive and boxes are placed around town in a variety of businesses for donation of new and gently used coats, hats, and mittens.
1 person likes this
@lowloy (316)
• United States
19 Nov 10
Your event could turn into a county wide church event instead of having just one church do this. It is blessed to share, so share the involvement with other churches. Another possibility to gather more homeless into the peicture is to have like a festive event on the streets where the homeless can gather and take more give aways insted of walking to find them they will find you. Keep up the work with your great ideas.
1 person likes this
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
3 Jan 11
Thanks! There are many in the community that do similar work. Helping the less fortunate is so rewarding!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Dec 10
My sister participates in a food, clothing and toy drive every year here in town that is called Homeless for the Holidays. I'm not able to devote the time to it that she does, but I do volunteer some of my time with them. If I'm not able to spend time there helping them to collect donations then I will at least take a bunch of stuff that our family no longer has a use for.
In addition to that, I need to call a church around the block from us that is doing a Christmas Store next week and see if they need volunteers. This is run by the Catholic Action Council in our city and they collect gently used toys, books and stuffed animals and people are allowed to shop there for their children. Each child is allowed two toys, one stuffed animal and one book. They offer personal shoppers for the parents and that is what I am hoping to be able to do.
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
3 Jan 11
That is great that you can volunteer your time like that. I am sure the community is very grateful!
