Meeting Yesterday and S&G

We had a wonderful planning meeting yesterday. Here is the gist:

Meeting Tidbits:
- Let's keep meeting temporary needs of people
- At the same time, we need to find local resources to help people on the streets fit into. We will not stop providing food and water and clothing, but while we do this, we need to connect people to get help with larger issues going on in their lives.
- For those of us who pray, we'll continue in that vein when we go out.
- There is an organization called E49 Network which we'd like to find out more on.
- It would be a good idea to try and get on some local boards for non-profits. Networking and resourcing and knowing the right people is a huge advantage.
- It was suggested that possibly volunteering as a group one night at Loaves & Fishes would be a good idea and helpful to make us aware of what exactly Loaves & Fishes provides.
- Let's be creative by looking for creative ways to partner with people we meet. The example of a man named Ed and having gotten him art supplies a few years ago was brought up. This was a very proactive way for him to work a little and get food. Let's be imaginative therefore and discover ways to be creative in our attempts to help people transition from the streets to stability.
- Finding creative ways to follow up with people is very powerful. For instance, if we know of someone looking for a job and they need a ride to an interview, great. Easy stuff.
- Donations that we will be looking for during warmer weather months will include underwear, t-shirts, socks, shoes, chapstick, deodarant, sunscreen, toothbrush/toothpaste, granola bars, bottled water, drinks, misc. food.
- We need to tap into the Craigslist community for support and like-mindedness and exposure for the blog.
- Ryan is aiming to help the youth group at his church become integrated with Socks & Gloves and hopes to help teens grow a heart for the homeless.

Events Planned (mark your calendars):
We are still doing a 4th Sunday Socks & Gloves every month this year. But we are also doing the following events:

Turkey in the Park
This will be a holiday meal on December 2nd, 3pm Sunday, location tba. Just like last year, but a better location.

Christmas Day
We will again go out to be with the homeless and enjoy hot chocolate and food together while playing in a park. It was suggested that we could bring a guitar and sing carols too.

June 24 "Shoes BBQ".
This is our regular 4th Sunday, but the event will be from 4-7pm at Fremont Park in Midtown. What is a "Shoes BBQ"? Glad you asked. This will be a festive time of eating food, playing sports games, and having a massive amount of donated shoes (new and used) available to help people in the warmer months. Along with shoes, the idea of "feet" will show up in having local churches provide flyers and literature and bibles hopefully so that people can put "feet" to their faith or spiritual hunger. In addition, we are hoping to have a table with other resources availalbe to help meet some of the deep needs that homeless folks face. We will be asking the local church and also Craigslisters to help out with this. Details tba very soon. This will take passion to pull off and it should be great fun. The reason too why we are doing sports is because so many times homeless people do not have fun in that way. Many times there has been very little to smile about and very little interaction or accessability into relating to people who are not on the streets. This is about breaking down barriers, bestowing dignity, and building relationships.

Last Night Recap:
As far as Socks & Gloves last night, we had a great time again. I am amazed at how we always have enough stuff to give away. Props to Mike for making 30 balogna sandwiches and for everyone else who brought stuff.

Highlights from last night:
1. The Rocket Man is awesome. Not only did it work extremely well to provide cold lemonade, but every we met on the streets was excited about it. They wondered what it was and then they would excited about it once we told them. This was a great investment.
2. After Ann finished praying for a couple named Lucy and George (I think Jorge, right), who were very joyful, Lucy prayed over us. It was extremely touching to have a woman living in hard times extend a prayer of blessing on us. Wow.
3. Uh, my mind is blank right now. If anyone else has something to add, just do it. Gotta run...