Catching up for the sake of the Homeless

Just back in town with many wonderful donation to post and share with you all that arrived during my vacation. Please keep checking each and everyday.

Donations include, hats, scarves, mittens, and slippers.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the contest, the mitten challenge from Beth. Assuming people are working feverishly to finish their donations by that date, add a few days for mailing. I'll announce the winner this Friday, the 12th based on all those received.

Once again many thanks to Beth for the idea of the mitten challenge, and for writing up a 2nd pattern for folks to try. I'll be adding a few new tabs with patterns for slippers in the days to come, so do keep checking back.

Please take time and leave comments, as it helps the placement of the blog which helps us with more visibility on the net which translates to more folks finding us, which gives us more helping hands.

Gotta get boxes opened, items counted, photographed and will begin posting. Thanks to all! Keep up the good work.

Please remember all donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

The Faces of Homeless

There are many faces of homelessness. Some are women, some are men, some are children, and some are Veterans. They're in my city, and yours and the country sides too. The numbers may vary from local to local; but the problem exists everywhere across our great land. We don't know there faces, we don't know their names. We see them and want to avert our eyes. In some cases we may be afraid. Perhaps they are too. Afraid of another cold lonely night without a roof over their heads, afraid of another cold lonely night without food, afraid of another cold lonely night when they might have to be on the run or hide or try and protect what little they do have. Yes, I think they too have fear.

According to statastics, there are some 12,000 homeless on any given night in my state of Ohio alone. Of that 12,000 about 1,500 of them go un-sheltered. Like this man in the above picture finding rest in the middle of what appears to be a sidewalk or parking lots. No doubt some heat might exists in the concrete to help warm him.

In Ohio, The FMR (fair market rent) for a 2 bedroom apartment is $683.00. Rule of thumb is one shouldn't spend more than 30% of ones income on housing. To afford an apartment that cost $683.00 (FMR) using the 30% rule a person would need an income of $27,326.00 annually. That annual figure breaks out to $13.14 an hour given a 40 hour work week. The minimum hourly rate in Ohio is $7.30. Given the state's current minimum that worker would need to work 72 hours a week to afford the 2 bedroom apartment. You can quickly see from those stats compiled by localities and the federal government; why so many are homeless. Think of the people you know, how many make the $13.14 an hour and work a steady 40 hour work week. AND, how many do you know who's rent is well above the $683.00 (FMR)?

Please help where you can. We have many ways to help. Our primary goal has always been hats, mittens, and scarves. Those items can be knitted or crocheted and we do collect them all year long. Yes even in the hot months of July and August. We want to be prepared with a ready supply as soon as the first frost hits. In addition we always need store bought socks. Socks are needed during all 4 season. Can you buy a bag? I've added a badge here for Pine Street (click on side panel to read more about it), they are in need of 9 inch squares. Those squares can be knitted or crocheted. Please measure your squares twice. You can forward directly or send along to me with your other donations and I'll mail in bulk.

I wonder who's son, brother, uncle, husband or father the man is the picture is. The face of homelessness is sad.

**Please see suggestion made in comment by Sandie, I think it's a good one. I can buy socks in bulk and if folks want to send along a little something with their regular donations it wouldn't add to the cost of mailing.

2010
Scarves 143+2=145
Hats 188
Mittens 13 pairs
Socks 28 pairs


2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair
*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008

What can I Do? I'm just one person!!!

There are many things wrong, or sad in the world. Do you find you often ask yourself, but what can I do? I'm just one person? Do you often think, someone should do something. "They", they should do something. Whoever "They" is.

One person can do something. One person can make a difference. It happens everyday, in my city and in yours. It happens when you're not looking. Maybe no camera is there to record it, no news media spreading the news; but it does indeed happen.

Each of you who've knitted or crocheted a hat, a pair of mittens, a pair of slippers, or a scarf have done something. You've done something wonderful. You've helped! AND together lots of us in one's and two's can make a big difference.

The Hats, Mittens, Scarves, Slippers etc. hand knit or crocheted are distributed along with a hot meal to those men and women living outdoors in the elements. These are a few pictures recently taken. Sorry they are very small and hard to see; but I believe still show you the conditions some are forced to live with. PLEASE, think about how you can help.

Can you can knit, or crochet and make something to donate?
Can you can blog about this to spread the word?
Can you can place our badge on your blog or website to spread the news?
Can you can tell your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers about it? Does someone in your circle knit, crochet, have yarn they no longer use, blog, have a websiteCan you donate socks? Which are always a needed item...nothing worse than cold wet feet.
Can you can collect little soaps, lotions, shampoo etc? Start saving all those samples at hotels when you travel (either for business or pleasure). We donate personal care items too.
Can you put out a box to collect things at work?
Can you place a notice in your school's newsletter, your church's bulletin?
Do you have an old, no longer being used backpack you could fill with warm clothing, or instant food?
Can you print and distribute our flyer at your PTO/PTA, play group, church group, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, work bulletin board etc.?

I know everyone can answer yes to at least one of those things listed above. So, PLEASE can we count on your help; more importantly can they count on your help?

The above pictures were taken awhile ago, see a handful of people in the church kitchen preparing meals, only a few...can and do make a difference. A close up of chicken and noodles, and smiles on faces who've been warmed by clothes, food, and the caring hearts of others.
Our donations have helped the following:
Men and Women living under bridges
Mothers and Children being treated in 2 free clinics
Women in temporary housing at Faith Mission (some were homeless, some were abused)
Men given a couple of nights in homeless shelters through Faith Mission
Families in need of a hot meal through Holy Family
Cold school children in need (some who make it to school from homeless shelters) at Stiles Elementary and Darby Dale Elementary Schools
Homeless CHILDREN with their families living in temporary housing through The Homeless Families Foundation
Cold children in need, many of whom are homeless at West Broad Street Elementary School and Highland Elementary Schools.
Homeless Children with their families living in temporary housing through The YWCA

Homeless Experiment, Tent City

While this video isn't talking about homelessness here in Central Ohio, or specific to our Bridge People, I thought it was worth posting to share with you all. Homelessness is a huge problem across this country of ours, one that deserves serious attention.

I read there are 12,000 homeless in The Columbus/Central Ohio area on any given day. I urge you to watch this for some insight into the problem. Summer will soon be over and people will be cold, wet, and hungry.



Please if I could ask you all to post about our group if you've not done that recently to help spread the word of the need. If you've not posted a link to this blog, please do. You can grab our badge for that purpose. Thank you to all who've helped over this past year, and may we continue to help with our willing hearts and hands.

12,000 Homeless in Columbus

This video shows a mix of people, a mix of circumstance, and mix of feelings and emotions regarding the homeless in Central Ohio. Some do want a better situation, some are content and feel they can maintain perhaps better than others.

Could I challenge each of you to think about who you know that might be able or willing to help. Maybe you have a neighbor, or co-worker who doesn't use the computer; but knit's or crochets. They can still help. Perhaps they could send socks, socks are needed all year long, in all seasons. Wet cold feet are a problem.

Special Yarn = Sandie's Scarf

If you've been here recently, you know Sandie's last scarf is the one that made us reach our goal, and now it's Sandie again pushing us forward in the + column. YIPPEE! You might also know how extra special I think it is that she's using donated yarn from a dearly departed friend to carry these donations forward. This is Scarf #101 (1 over our original goal of last year of 100, so now we'll make our goal 200).

I hope you're all having a wonderful summer, though it's quite cool and damp here at the moment and doesn't seem like summer at all. We had a fire going last night to keep warm while attending a special gathering at Jan's house. Jan is my SIL, she's the one that delivers all our hand knit and crocheted goodies to Rae to be distributed to those in need, both under the bridge and at the free clinic.

I've added links to Sandie's blog, and both my SIL, Jan's so you can all pay a visit above, and here am leaving links about special summer needs, as well a story about scattered homeless. If you've not yet read those post and commented, please do. Perhaps you can share a story about homeless in your area. I'm also still wanting to follow up on the story to see about a shelter or something in the area where these folks were scattered from due to the Park.

I'm still finding knitting and crocheting difficult due to the association with Mom and all those hours at the hospital, but am working on it. I do have a scarf going for this project, and some granny squares.

Goals:
Hats 178 (22 needed to reach goal of 200)
Mittens 43 pairs (57 need to reach goal of 100)
Scarves 101 (99 needed to reach goal of 200)

And while you're visiting either of my SIL's blog's be sure and wish her Happy Anniversary. We were celebrated 40 years last night at the gathering.

Current Needs and updates Under The Bridge

Hi all,
I emailed with Rae (our lady who feeds the folks under the bridge), the other day. Wanted to give you some current information about how people are fairing. There currently are more women under the bridge than previously, usually 4-5 per week. People have a need for batteries for flashlights, in order to see after dark. Socks for men and women are always needed, throughout the year due to wet feet when they can't get in out of the eliminates. They have a need of toilet paper, something that never crossed my mind. Mens pants are currently needed too, in addition to your knitting and crocheting hats, mittens, and scarfs; if you're able to send any of those items I'll pass them along to help these folks.

In early October Rae plans to send letters, and make phone calls to churches for any used blankets they might be able to offer. Shortly after that is when the temps really start to dip.

Sadly, many deal with poison ivy and poison oak in the summer months. They often are looking for a place to sleep after dark and end up in the poison without knowing it. Sadder still, many have spent 30 days in jail for pan handling; though the flip side of that is they do have a roof over their heads, food, and a place to sleep during their jail time.

Such is the plight of these homeless folks leaving under the bridge. Not just in this one location we know about; but across this great country of ours. If mailing items for these folks is a problem and you still want to help, please search out those in need in your local area. We can't rid the country of this problem, but helping in many ways is possible. Please continue to do what you can. It is appreciated by many.

**Next up, pictures of another scarf from Sandie (camera batteries are being charged as we speak). Please check back. I'm currently working on a navy scarf.

Homeless are often scattered.

Yesterday while my family gathered to celebrate our Nations birthday and have our traditional cook out, my youngest nephew, Ryan told a story I'd like to share with you all.

He works for the Division of Parks here in our city. Loves it and loves being outdoors. He was telling us about a new park in the works. Well, really not a new park...an area that had been a park of sorts, had gotten run down and wasn't taken care of---in a not so good part of the city. Over time homeless moved in, for them the area cast off and abandoned by others was home. Somewhere along the line the city decided to re-claim it and bring new life to the park. It will have a new name and a dedication is soon to take place. Everyone's first reaction was cool, a nice new park thats good. It played on my mind throughout the day. What happened to those homeless folks, where did they go........do they get the same "New Life" the park does? We all know the sad answer to that thought, they do not!

Will the park revitalize the area for the community? I don't know; but hope so. I would like to think that something positive will come of this action. It's the ying and yang of life. The positive is perhaps a safer, nice new park for families and children........the negative displacing already downtrodden people. I want to find out more about this new park and the area it is to support. Perhaps the beyond part of our Bridge and Beyond could be of some use? Perhaps there's a community homeless shelter.

It's warm here now in Central Ohio, you may think making hats, mittens, and scarves has no place at the moment. PLEASE, keep them coming. We hope to be ready for this season to help those less fortunate.

My continued thanks to one and all for your dedication, your hard work and your big hearts. This is certainly something to celebrate along with our Nations Birthday. I hope you were all able to spend the special holiday with friends and family. Travel over to my travel blog for a virtual visit in Colonial Williamsburg, what could be more fitting on this 4th of July wkend.

• The Red Cardinal is our state bird. Such pretty birds. This one I photographed was perched on the back of a chair on my deck. I took the photo through the door to the deck. Didn't want to open it and send the bird flying away.
• I'm in the process of communicating with Rae to get a bit of an update for you all on our Bridge People
  

Spreading the word!

Hope you all have seen my new widget here, BlogUpp...look on the right side of my blog. Click on one or both sides of the widget, right where you see a neat thumbnail of someone's blog. It's very cool. I just got this blog signed up with this new social networking yesterday. This morning I visited 6 blogs through it. Thought it would be a nice way to spread the good work we're doing; and maybe get more helping hands with our project.

If you'd like to spread the word of your blog, PLEASE click on the blue binder portion of the widget, and or go to BlogUpp.com. It's quick and easy, no registration is necessary and even someone without techy savy skills can do this in minutes.

The business of helping the homeless is never ending, and never has enough helping hands. It's been awhile since I've had time to actively seek more helpers, so thought I'd give this a try.

I'm working on a green and blue man sized scarf and hope to have it finished soon. I'll be passing off another round of beautiful donated items, so please keep your crochet hooks and knitting needles busy.

***If you've missed seeing the pictures of the last couple of wonderful donations, PLEASE scroll back

Thanks ladies for all the hard work, you're awesome!

People Are AWESOME

I can't believe how awesome people are. This is the first time I've truly followed a project like this. For anyone who thinks the world is a bad place, they should know the kindness that people (like the ones on this blog) share out of simple love and hope for a better future.

The hats, scarves, and mittens are truly beautiful.

First hats are headed to those under the bridge (actually they went Saturday). They are beautiful and warm. In addition to that, they are beautiful. These folks don't usually get NEW things. What a joy for them!