After he’d been evicted, he’d gotten mugged the first two nights he was on the street. All of his paperwork was stolen and he had no resources to navigate the difficult system of finding a new and affordable place to live.
Helping Hands at First English helped to keep him in a hotel so no more harm would come to him. We’d gotten a call that he was on the list to be placed at the new Baatz Building downtown (Helping Hands had referred him to the Continuum of Care) but he needed all of his documentation. As a senior citizen with some mobility issues, this was nearly impossible on his own. Helping Hands was able to assist him, a process involving hours and hours of waiting rooms and making and keeping appointments together.
Just this last week we helped him move into his new home.
Yes, we are a food pantry. However, as we work with the neighbors who come to us sometines we are trusted with the realities of their lives. Often the tales are very bleak.
I’m sharing this important story to help you realize just how necessary it is that we are there, ready to serve. We believe in accompaniment—which comes down to sometimes walking our guests through the housing system or other needed resources when they are unable to access those resources on their own.
Please help us continue in this good work. Any donation you make will be doubled by Town Pump until the end of November.
And when your head hits the pillow tonight, remember those who are outside.
