About an hour to go…
We’re approximately one hour away from leaving port in Reading. Our first stop on our way down to New Orleans will be Pennsylvania! We’re all very excited and eager to get down there and start working.
Wish us luck!
What did I learn about being Homeless?
- Cannot be a picky eater
- Food freezes quickly
- Layers are marvelous
- Warm meals really make a difference (in the winter)
- Spend the money that you have wisely
- Eat food that will really fill you up
- You have to choose between eating to be full, or eating nutritiously
- It is easier when you have people around
- Not everyone understands homelessness
- Keeping your feet warm is important
- Low chance of getting better of you are sick
- Heat source is important for safety
- There has to be a way to block wind from the fire
- Eat as much as possible
- Being woken up and being told to leave is not cool
- Priorities take a larger role
- Coughing from smoke is probable
- My bum is cold! (from sitting on the cold cement, pavement, stairs, snow)
- Impossible to stay healthy
- Grateful for styrofoam and other things that can have multiple, long term uses
- Even being inside is not comfortable (bus stop, shelter; limited heat and no lights etc)
- Only bring what can be carried around
- Stealing is more of an option
- And if caught, being in jail is better than being on the streets
Homeless Weekend
The Senior High Youth Program is braving the February weather Feb. 15 - Feb. 17 in the church parking lot and living “homeless” for the weekend. Youth, advisors and adult volunteers will spend hours outside and if weather permits will even sleep outside in cardboard boxes on the pavement. The youth do this to education themselves and others about the ongoing plight of homelessness on this country. Last year the money was used to purchase, cook and serve the homeless residents of the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter which is run by Harvard University Students. This year the money they raise will be used to bring donations to the Hope Haven School in New Orleans. The group uses Homeless Weekend as an awareness program and as a fundraiser to help stop homelessness in the country. Once down in New Orleans the youth will help homeless people there with our time, skills and money. Please consider supporting the youth and this important fundraiser. Checks can be made out to UUCR, Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading with SHYP/Homeless in the memo line. These can be put in the collection tray, mailed to the church office ATTENTION AILEEN or dropped off in the church office.
We have only two weeks to get this weekend all planned! We can do it but it will take alot of work and commitment. There are boxes to get, letters to write, fire permits to apply for (so we can stay warm outside at a burn barrel!) and many other things. Through much effort we will make this happen and the money raised will pay for the gas in our vans. The youth hope to have money left over to give and use while we are down there to help others. Not only will the youth have a homeless weekend in February, they will be having a very economically just trip as we will not eat out and we will be sleeping on floors of churches and schools. This is going to be amazing…all aspects of it! I am so proud to be their advisor!
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