Thursday, November 27, 2008

The Turkey

"It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart"- Anonymous

Happy Thanksgiving! Please remember what you have today-whether it's food, family, health, or a combination of all three, recognize its importance. Though we have not embarked on a run in the last week and a half, Lesley Delivers has participated in another amazing event: A Winter Coat and Winter Accessory Drive. Along with the Lesley Softball Team, we collected and sorted over 25 Women's Dress Coats, 15 Men's Coats, 61 Accessories (including scarves, gloves, mittens, hats), 4 casual Sweaters/Sweatshirts, 15 Kid's Items, 2 Blankets, and 4 Pairs of Shoes. This is over 125 items that went to people in need. Not only did we collect and sort these items, but a few of us were even able to see the delivery of these items to the Margaret Fuller House in Central Square. This is a great food pantry that has a Thanksgiving Turkey Drive around the holidays. Many people in need were given frozen turkeys, beans, vegetables, and other ingredients to prepare for family and friends on Thanksgiving. In addition, because of our hard work, they were able to leave home with some extra warm apparel that they were not expecting. Amazing! Thanks to Jen Benway, the Softball Team at Lesley, and everyone else who helped in the execution of this awesome idea. Remember what you have to be thankful for today...everyone has something.

In the next two months, look out for:
-An Uno's "DoughRaiser" Fundraiser for Lesley Delivers
-Opportunities to serve at local shelters, such as Rosie's Place
-Several sandwich runs before we depart for Holiday Break 

Sunday, November 16, 2008

The Meatloaf

  Today we got down to the real meat and potatoes of our work. Myself, combined with the efforts of Carol (VP of Enrollment at Lesley), Cara (a Simmons Social Work student), and representatives from The Outdoor Church (A wonderful organization in Harvard Square) spent 5 hours, from 11 am to 4 pm participating in a church service as well as handing out food, blankets, and resources to those in need in Harvard and Central Square. It was a day filled with joy and sorrow as we met new people, heard new stories, and discovered many new things.
It made me realize that Lesley Delivers is not going to be perfect this year or the next. In fact, the Outdoor Church has been running for 5 years and according to the leaders we worked with today there are still many problems to be worked out. 
Can we ever really do enough? While we accepted requests about what we could bring next week as far as food or clothing, we can't change the fact that these people will still have no warm "home" to go back to after a long day. But what is a home, really? During the church service today, we explored this idea. A home does not have to be a structure with a door, windows, and a bathroom. A home, to many, isj ust a place to sit. Just any place on Earth, really.
The service was beautiful. The altar was created out of a rolling cart and a sheet. A Reverend led the service, a man who comes every week read the prayer, and we all read hymns and phrases together in the freezing cold. Everyone was okay with being cold, happy to be together, and ecstatic to be alive.
It was a few hours that I know Carol, Cara, and I will never forget. 

Friday, November 14, 2008

Fast Food Fact

In just a month, we have embarked on seven sandwich runs to Harvard Square where we have given food and other supplies to those in need. We are working diligently to fundraise and budget because as we are meeting these individuals we see more and more that needs to be changed right in our own backyard. Currently, over 43 students have taken part in a sandwich run and these numbers are continuing to grow each and every week. We have had representatives from Athletics, The Office of Community Service, SGA, Residence Life, and every undergraduate class of our University. 

We are beginning to deliver more than just food...we are delivering promise.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

The Chicken Marsala

Tonight, Georgia and I wanted to do our own, quick version of Lesley Delivers. It was as simple as buying a box of $2.99 donuts at CVS and we were making people's nights worthwhile. We saw the usual crew, a new fellow, and the people who we first met a few nights ago--the couple who was spending their first night on the street. We asked them how they were doing and they seemed slightly positive. They confessed to us that they had chosen to stay on the streets because they had been kicked out of a shelter. Someone had grabbed the woman inappropriately, and her partner, in defense, had knocked the man out. Because of this incident, they were kicked out of this shelter for 200 days. TWO HUNDRED. In two hundred days, it will be warm again. In 200 days a typical human being will have consumed 400,000 calories. Just to give you an idea, that would be 1,333 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We can do better than this. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The Cheese and Crackers

It's been a while since we have ventured out as a group, due to scheduling problems, midterms, and no real funding as of yet. Tonight we had SEVENTEEN people- I could not believe it. It was too good to be true. We had the most volunteers we have ever had...and it was raining. 

Tonight we met a couple spending their first night on the street. Before we realized what we were doing, we found ourselves in CVS, chipping in to purchase food and drinks in order to make this couple feel as comfortable as possible. Was this the right thing to do? I still don't know. We tried not to show sadness, but it was difficult. 

Our debrief was a powerful one. How often do we label others without realizing that we are doing it? How often do we say ignorant things without fully recognizing that we are doing it?

Every time we go it gets easier, but in reality, harder. We now know the places to find those in need, we see familiar faces, and after 4 runs, we have pretty much established a routine. Though we are helping and serving it is my hope that someday this need won't exist. Maybe someday there will be no one on the streets, no one hungry or thirsty, and no one cold and alone. Let's pray that we did vote for change and that we will see this change soon.