Outreach # 8 (Saturday, June 1, 2019)
We allowed ourselves an extra hour of sleep on Saturday, and once our alarm had woken us up 6:00 AM, the day immediately called out to us. We took time out for a 20-minute meditation, followed by a leisurely breakfast. We wanted to be downtown no later than 11:00 AM. Beau’s co-worker, Martin, was to meet us there and we didn’t want to be late!. Martin really enjoyed coming out and helping us during our last outreach day two weeks ago, and decided to generously donate some of his time again, and join is for out Outreach # 8. It is wonderful to get much-needed help like that, Martin, and we appreciate it immensely!
After breakfast, we organized some more clothing and bunched 15-20 hangers of clothing together with hair elastics. This makes the clothing much easier to transport in the vehicle.
We packed two racks worth full of clothing, divided equally between men’s and women’s. We also packed two full boxes of women’s shoes, multiple belts, colourful spring scarves and a huge bag full of socks. For the men, besides the clothing, we also packed a few pairs of runners, some socks and 8 boxers (the men frequently ask us if we have underwear). The new clothing rack breaks down quickly and easily into manageable pieces that fit into the car. It also only takes a few minutes to put back together again and comes with wheels. By 9:30 AM, Beau had started the coffee, which takes about 45 minutes to brew 70 cups.
Speaking of coffee, we wanted to say a huge thank you to Tiffany, Alan and Kaylin, our oldest daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, for Beau’s wonderful birthday gift! You guys really listened when we said that we would rather have donations to Project Dignity in lieu of a personal gift. Your donations of a gas card, multiple containers of coffee, sugar, disposable cups, and lids, as well as shampoo/condition packs, will all go to such good use! We thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts!
Once the coffee was brewed, we gathered the milk, cream, sugar, etc., packed everything into the car and headed downtown to the Salvation Army. We arrived right on time just before 11:00 AM. We exchanged good mornings with some of the guys and started setting up. We put together the rack, unfolded the table, pulled out all of the men’s clothing, and hung them on the rack.
Once we brought out the coffee urn and cups, everyone started gathering around and lining up for coffee. Soon after, Martin showed up with a big smile, as well as 2 large boxes of donuts and a full box of Timbits. I put aside the Timbits for our next stop at the Shepherds of Good Hope and put 1 box out on the table. Martin took the other box and wandered around the vicinity, offering donuts to any homeless individuals he may encounter on the way. We certainly had a great time chatting about all kinds of things, while sharing coffee and laughs.
The clothing rack was a complete success and it warmed my heart to see everyone have a true shopping experience, as they looked through the items of clothing and picked things that they liked, in the appropriate sizes. Everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves! As I watched the fellows searching through the rack, I had the chance to chat with two lovely young women named Sara and Marwa (I hope I have gotten the names right!). They were with a larger group of young people, who were from the nearby Islamic Centre. They told me that they come out every Saturday and hand out free sandwiches to anyone outside of all the nearby shelters. It is so refreshing to see that there are many other like-minded people, who want to make a difference somehow! Throughout the day, I also had the opportunity to speak with some wonderful people, who offered such kind words of support in what we are doing. Thank you for that support! That is what keeps us going! In no time at all, every last item of men’s clothing was gone.
The boxers went like hotcakes, but I wish we would have had more of them, as well as more socks and shoes! It is hard to say, “Sorry, we have don’t have any shoes in your size!”, when you look down and see someone wearing old, worn out winter boots in June!
Once things wound down at the Salvation Army, we packed everything up, drove to the Shepherds of Good Hope, and set up again there. We hung up all of the women’s clothing, and I began walking around sharing the Timbits.
Many of the homeless individuals there sit along the sidewalk in various locations around the building, so by handing out the donuts, I could also let the women know that there were free coffee and clothing just around the corner. We noticed that things were a bit slow at this location because the Church one block away was also handing out free clothing and other items. We were informed that on the first Saturday in June, many churches in Ottawa participate in an event called “Big Give”. It is run like a garage sale, but everything available is free. It is a great community service that they do once a year. We still managed to give away 2/3 of the women’s clothing, as well as some shoes, belts, scarves, sock and other items. At 2:00 PM, feeling happy and satisfied with our day, we packed up the car and headed home with a warm glow in our hearts!
We again want to thank everyone for any and all donations. Without all of you, we couldn’t do what we do!