Sunday Review for A-Z Challenge

Picture of Primrose Afghan, assembled and donated to Homeless Families Foundation  previously, but happens to be a picture on hubby's laptop, and since I dislike blog posts without pictures thought I'd pop this one in.

Happy Sunday, thought I'd do a little review of the A-Z challenge so far.  I believe I'm enjoying it more this year because rather then be upset that people aren't really participating, using the system, going to the trouble of reporting (as we're suppose to)offending blogs to the organizers, I'm just passing them by and moving on.  By not dwelling on them, keeping track etc I am less bothered.

The positives:

• Have gained followers, was around 295 ish when challenge began
• Have had thoughtful comments from people who have learned something about homelessness they didn't know or realize before.
• Have inspired some folks to get out their knitting or crochet needles and hooks and help us, and or donate to their locale shelters
• Simply spreading the word about the problem,the need to help, and ways to help...........always positive

How I've used the challenge:

• As soon as I signed up I started visiting 5 blogs daily from the linky, so about 10 days prior to the official start of April 1, I began getting some visits.  This is suggested
• Wrote a reveal post (separate linky to join prior to the official start to reveal the theme of your month of blogging).  Not everyone, in fact the bulk of those in the linky didn't elect to select a theme or post theme.  Visited 5 additional blogs daily for about 4 or 5 days or the reveal linky
• Wrote and scheduled all posts ahead of the start on April 1st, in order to spend time daily visiting blogs.  
• Continued to visit 5 blogs daily not before visited from the linky, and returned every visit/comment made here
• Started a blog log (in the right sidebar) of those that visited and left comments and continued to visit them.  

The Alphabetical Blog Posts to Date: (please if you missed one, do take time to visit)

A=Afghans, Family Heirlooms
B= Bridge and Beyond, Behind the Scenes
C=What is Crochet
D=Donations
E=Exposure Kills Homeless Vet
F= Crying and Homeless and Freezing Temperature
G= Gubbio, A Homeless Project, St. Boniface Church
H=Hobo and Homelessness
I= Inspiration
J= What is Joy

Google stats indicate the A, B, and G posts had the highest stats of visits with G being 146, though, we received far fewer actual comments.  I'm not up to speed to know if those are simply clicks vs time spent to actually read.  I think it may just be clicks?  Any one know?

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

What is Joy

A-Z Challenge J=JOY

I looked at lots of different definitions of what JOY means, and I read a survey where people responded to what JOY is to them, none of that seemed to fit into what we do here on Bridge and Beyond for the Homeless, nor fit into what is it to be homeless.

I feel JOY when I knit or crochet and I know the end product is going to help someone.  I feel JOY when I open beautiful donations from the many caring hearts and helping hands that donate to Bridge and Beyond.  I feel JOY when I hand delivery these donations to the various shelters or to Rae who passes out necessary items when she delivers hot meals on Saturday mornings.

I feel confident saying all the good folks who've helped by donating  to Bridge and Beyond  also feels that same JOY as they spend their time knitting, crocheting, looming, or quilting to help care for someone else.

I believe along with our warm items: hats, scarves, mittens, slippers etc we also give some JOY to those who receive the donations.  That's why our mission here on Bridge and Beyond is handmade, I believe the JOY we feel as we're crafting our items transcends to those who wear our knitted, crocheted, or loomed items.

So,

and go knit something to help spread JOY  to someone in need.  Can you join us?

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Inspiration

Today's A-Z letter is I, I've chosen the word Inspiration.  In a recent knitting class I took on line, there was considerable discussion about choosing colors and patterns that inspired us.  Many people said they use nature as their inspiration when selecting colors, patterns, and textures to knit with.  I rarely buy a specific yarn for a specific project, so am not sure I've ever given it much thought.  I use yarn I have on hand...often yarn that's been donated or yarn I've purchased on sale...a color that's flexible for a variety of projects.  However, seeing this picture the other day on Facebook and I thought.......wow, that would inspire me to select beautiful purples and greens, and wouldn't these colors make an awesome afghan, or sweater?  Coincidentally, purple and green are my daughters favorite colors and so they are colors I've often purchased, but this particular blend...

Inspiration with regard to caring for the homeless could be defined as inspired to help others.  I think all the folks who donate to Bridge and Beyond are inspired to do just that, help others.  And I believe those who receive our gifts are also inspired...inspired to feel better because someone cares about them.........Someone they don't know took time to make something especially for them.  That is certainly inspiring.  I know many times when I make deliveries to the various shelters and run into a homeless person on walk or in the parking lot, and they open the door for me, help me carry items in, and say Bless You, I feel that they are inspired.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Hobo and Homeless

 A-Z Challenge H= Hobo and Homeless
The above picture might be what you think of when you hear (if you're as old as me you knew the word), Hobo.  Wikipedia defines Hobo as a migratory worker, a homeless vagabond.  They believe the word started to be used in the Northwestern part of the United States around 1890.  The origin of the word is dispute/has many possibilities vs is unknown.  A Hobo travel to find work, had no permanent address.  The typically "Road the Rails" to move from one community to another.

The might have done odd jobs, usually manual labor in exchange for food, sometimes money.  They were known to hang out at the docks when ships would come and go and the rail roads.  Some thought riding the rails was a bit romantic....seeing the sites, not being tied down.  But, they often didn't have a roof over their heads or know where the next meal came from.  They weren't well received in many communities.  They spoke a language all their own with chalk symbols to leave behind important information for other Hobo's that might travel that direction.  The symbols might be as simple as a cat which meant a nice lady lives here, or top hat meaning a kind gentlemen lives here.  Those symbols would attract other Hobo's.  They might however, leave symbols indicated they weren't welcomed, to be aware of barking dogs, or mean police etc.

There were some notables who Hoboed before they made it, such as: Woody Guthrie, Robert Mitchum, Carl Sandberg and George Orwell; but..........for most it was a tough life.  Perhaps it was easier to be a Hobo then compared to being Homeless now.   Somehow I think so, towns are bigger, there are fewer families farms where you might work a day, or receive a meal, or be allowed to camp awhile.

The face of Homeless seems more wretched to me, filled with more despair and danger.

Hats, another word that starts with H.  Hats are one of the items we knit, crochet, and loom and donate.  Can you help?  A warm head can help warm the rest of the body, it can help keep someone dryer, and it can save a life.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Gubbio, a Homeless Project at St. Boniface Church

A-Z Challenge G= Gubbio Project

I can't help but think God is smiling knowing about the Gubbio Project in San Francisco at St. Boniface Church.  Sleeping is scared.  Homeless people have many problems, beyond the elements, the lack of food, the lack of respect, lack of good health, the also often lack sleep.  They lack sleep because they don't have a bed in a shelter, they don't have a protected dry or clean place to sleep, and or they don't have a place to sleep without being harassed, often by police as well as others.  When you lack sleep, you often act irrationally causing people to fear homeless, to not want to help them and more.

This church has been provided sanctuary, a safe place to sleep, eat, and just be at peace for the last 10 years.   Homeless can sleep from 6 am til 3 pm.  On Friday's meals are served.  There are supplies of personal care items such as soap, toothpaste and more for those in need.  Free hair cuts, vouchers for clothing also are available.   There are pamphlets available to aid the homeless in finding shelters, and other social work assistance.  A nurse podiatrists is available certain days to help with cleaning feet, massaging feet, checking feet for disease etc.  There are 2 masses a day, and the homeless are not asked to leave during those masses.  In fact, many join in prayer, others may sleep through.  The church asks that the back 67 rows be used for sleeping, so parishioners can attend mass up front by the alter.  This project was started by Major Gavin Newson who had a 120 year plan to end homelessness.  20,000 homeless have been houses or referred to shelters and 1.5 million dollars spent; but the problem remains.  For each homeless person taken off the street, there's one to replace them.  Still the church and it's members do what they can and it does help.

Do you have a program similar in your city?  If so, I'd like to know about it, please leave me information in the comments section.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Crying and Homeless and Freezing Temperatures

A-Z Challenge
F = Freezing

Valentines Day George and Joyce Gruss were traveling through Columbus and stopped for a bite to eat at Wendy's on Route 161, right off the freeway with the intention of eating and moving onto their destination.  They noticed a couple near them and the woman was crying.  They seemed very low and down and out and so Joyce and George asked what the problem was.  The couple was homeless, had missed the curfew at the shelter and had no place to go.  It was 8 degrees, with a prediction of going lower as the night progressed.

Wanting to help the couple they took them to a nearby hotel, also on Route 161, The Super 8, and got the couple a room for 3 nights to keep them out of the cold.  They prepaid for the room and left thinking the couple would have a few days reprieve before making their way back to the shelter.   An hour later while Joyce and George were in no longer in Columbus and well on their way, they received a phone call from the hotel saying the weren't letting the couple stay, they were kicking them out.  The couple didn't have any identification.  So, out in the  freezing cold in what was the beginning of the coldest weather of the year the couple went.  No one knows what became of them, or where they went, of if they are ok.  The hotel initially didn't even refund the Gruss's money.  After a large out pouring of negative publicity on social media, their money was refunded.  Super 8 is owned by The Wyndham Hotel Chain.  Petitions gathered large numbers of signatures, again through social media to call this sad fact to the attention of the hotel chain and the general public.  The hotel chain has apologized, but....

The George and Joyce have tried to locate the couple, both by coming back to Columbus and through social media, but my research hasn't turned up anything on that score.

The hotel has had problems before.  Lots of problems with drugs and prostitution.  In fact the hotel had been closed for a period 6 months because of such problems and they were under some pretty tough court guidelines of appropriate action in order to stay open.  They had some business problems, perhaps management problems no doubt.  Does that justify sending a homeless couple out in the freezing cold ...the public outcry would say NO!  Social media can be a wonderful tool.

Yesterdays post, another sad story of being homeless, freezing and dying from exposure, so I do wonder what happened to the couple.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.