We are getting together once again for Help The Homeless
activity in San Francisco on May 1st! We will make
sandwiches, hit the streets to share lunches and compassion with
the homeless, and come back to exchange perspectives. Please RSVP
with your email address on your right and you'll be emailed more
information. If you have any problems, please feel free to
email us!
Previous Experience
Rain or shine, the plan was to help the homeless on this October day. Well,
it poured but we stuck to our plan! Everyone knew that it'd be tough
to put on our rain coats, manage our umbrellas, face the high winds,
and walk the streets in wet attire, but many of us, high-schoolers
to adults, still did it. In little less than 2 hours, we made
about 250 lunches with a "veggies-n-cheese"
sandwich, a fruit, and a drink. We split up into teams after quick
introductions and hit the streets.
In a unique way, experiencing slight discomforts made us
more aware of the luxuries of a shelter that we had become so
accustomed to. On the streets, we found the homeless people under the
bridges, overpasses, and just about any covered area, often shaking
incessantly from the cold temperature. Some volunteers gave up their
umbrellas to feel what the homeless were feeling, while some ran out
of sandwiches and went to McDonalds to buy more; everyone had their
own story about what touched their heart but in sharing some food
and being a listening ear, we gave the homeless a reason to smile.
The pedestrians were buzzing by, like we had often done, completely oblivious of what was in front of them. But just by tapping into some compassion in our heart, just by being ourselves, we were miracles for another being. Undoubtedly, the homeless on the streets will be hungry again after a couple hours but we were out to share our peace, hope, and compassion.
We reconvened to share our experiences and realized this much-- while we might've inspired others, we certainly inspired ourselves.
[ read about jan 2004 experience ]
General Questions
Can I bring a friends? My son or daughter?
Absolutely! Just RSVP for them. And if the child is a minor,
he/she will need to be accompanied by the parent.
How much do you charge?
There is no charge and neither do we ask for money. People who can
chip in, generally do. One time, a grandma gave us $20 and said, "I
don't have the legs to walk with you kids but my heart is with you!"
That's the spirit that drives all our events.
How is it on the streets?
Being out on the streets and having a sincere face-to-face
conversation with the homeless, can be a very powerful experience
... it'll make you cry and laugh at the same time and leave you
deeply energized!
I can't come this time. Can you keep me posted with more?
Sure thing. Just signup for the local
events mailing list.
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