I have to say, as angry as I can get at most local politicians for burying their heads in the sand when it comes to homelessness, I am 100 times more proud of those ordinary people who find it unacceptable and are doing something about it . . . check out this one little example from yesterday.
AMAZING WORK
1. Person goes to the day center and talks to Sarah there.
2. Sarah sends me this email, looking for an email for Tami.
I have an emer. need for men’s shoes, size xx.
The guest, xxxx, is walking in boots and today showed me his blisters. I cannot even describe them; I have never seen such severe blisters, over his entire sole.
3. I forward the email to Tami, from Feeding the State St. Family. And she responds.
I just talked to Karen Andro and I will have boots to you within the hour. ALSO something for the blisters 🙁 …
4. Tami gets boots from Karen from First United Methodist Church, then gets them to the day shelter.
Amazing women, doing amazing work, for one person at a time. Thank you ladies for making us all proud to live in Madison! This is just one story I got a glimpse of yesterday, but the stories go on and on and on with different people from different grassroots organizations on different days, but its happening, quietly and steadily, thanks to some amazing and caring people in our community.
CITY AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES HELP OUT!
In response to some of these emails, we get good news from First United Methodist Church.
Wonderful new to share! The Mayor and Dane County Exec have agreed to help with the Boot Brigade for the Homeless! Boot donation are already coming in from City and County employees.
Thank you public employees for once again showing you are not the thugs and leaches you are sometimes portrayed to be!!
HOW YOU CAN HELP?
This isn’t the point of the post, but people always ask, so here it is . . . my recommendations on where to donate. A penny to any of these organizations will stretch much, much further than others.
Day Center – 827 E. Washington can always use gift cards to stores for food and items needed, as well as bus tickets, bus tickets, bus tickets. They also take other donations. (Sorry, no links to anything specific to that project, best to just stop in, 7 days a week 8 – 4:30)
Feeding the State St. Family – does food on Saturdays and outreach to hundreds of homeless people throughout the Madison area helping with just about any need you can think of.
First United Methodist Church – Does the shower program, but also the Boots project.
Madison Homelessness Initiative – Does the free laundry program for homeless persons on Tuesdays and Friday 9 – 1. Volunteers needed.
Bethel Homeless Program – Runs a day center Tues – Thurs and clothing center, book club etc.
Occupy Madison Inc (OM House) – Working on a space to share with many of the grassroots groups working on homelessness and to house about 20 currently homeless persons.
Community Action Coalition – does many things, but is my favorite mainstream group for donations of clothing, because it doesn’t get sold, but given to homeless persons.
