Tonight was our last run of the semester. Along with sandwiches, we handed out coats that were donated through the Coat Drive sponsored by the LU Softball team. These were very much appreciated; we encountered many groups of people who showed gratitude for these coats as it was one of the colder nights we’ve had this season. There were relatively few people in the usual areas of Harvard Square; however one individual pointed us in the direction of a place where we were sure to find another community of people. Once we got to the area he directed us to, we noticed that there were a lot of belongings and several people we had never met before. They also graciously accepted the coats and were eager to find out why we were out giving them away and what “religious group” we were affiliated with. They seemed to have a sense of dependability on one another; one man said his girlfriend was out to get water and he would hold the coat for her. He also mentioned that he knew of others who would want a coat, and he would be able to find owners for them. The group stuck together. When they were forced to leave the street of a different area, they worked together to bring their things to a new place where they’d be left alone. As we concluded the night, we realized we had a few more oranges left in the bag. As one of us suggested we bring the oranges to the group of people we had previously met, our entire group was enthusiastic to join. When we got back to this place, the people we had met shook our hands again and were grateful for the fruit.
I didn’t mention this earlier, but on the way to and from the sandwich deliveries, our group broke out into Holiday caroling. We were clearly all in the Holiday spirit, and even though it didn’t seem relative at the time, I can see how Lesley Delivers and the Holidays go hand in hand. Tonight was all about giving, but we weren’t the only ones to give. Before we even got to Harvard Square, people we passed would smile at us and join in on the songs we sang. We may not have given them anything, but at least we gave them the chance to smile at the end of their day. During the run, even though we handed out sandwiches and an extra layer to many people, I think we were more on the receiving end. When one group interacted with an individual who accepted a sandwich, he made a comment to make everyone in the group laugh. He was happy about this, and quietly said that as long as he made them smile, that’s all that mattered. In the other group, I gained a lot from that one brief conversation with the person in the new community. He was so grateful for us taking an hour out of our day to bring them sandwiches and coats. He really lifted my spirits by making us feel like the most important people in the world, when really, we were only doing what we knew was right. It was a great end to a very successful Lesley Delivers, and with the Holidays upon us, we really celebrated the act of giving.
-Elissa
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Lucky Ones
Last week, our run was one of the smallest, but one of the most profound we have had this semester. Although it was cold, we saw many different people. One of the biggest things we noticed was the sense of community that we stumbled upon in the Coop. As a few of us walked in to talk to two of the people sitting there, we noticed that there were a lot more belongings than there were people. The woman talking to us began to tell us that all of the food they get they save until everyone is there and then they put it in the middle and share it. She told us this as she was holding a pizza box to her body for warmth and smiling at the fact that a group “of young people like [us]” had come a little bit ago and brought them freshly baked Tollhouse cookies. She was one of the most cheerful women I have met during these runs, and the hope she gave me - I know she passes on to every person she shares her food with.
Another girl that we met struck me personally. She was sitting outside of CVS and we passed her once starting our run and then again heading back to the debrief. The first time we handed her a sandwich, exchanged a few words and continued on. She seemed friendly, but also very absorbed in the book she was reading and trying to keep warm. On our way back, we gave her a second sandwich and stopped to talk with her for a few seconds longer. The first thing I noticed was that she was my age, the second was that the book she was reading was a textbook. She was a student, just like me, trying to get her education so that she could make something of herself.
These are two things we have never really seen during our runs: a community of people that come together to keep each other warm and share food mixed with good humor, and a student who is just like the rest of us. People throw around the word lucky a lot in everyday life, but in both of these cases I think it takes on its true meaning. Those people have a support system, they have others to lean on and to gain strength from. The girl we met is going to school. She’s getting an education, and maybe someday she will be able to help others to get out of the situation she was once in. And then there’s us. We were the lucky ones – because we were the ones that got to take away the lessons that these Harvard Square prophets had to give.
Another girl that we met struck me personally. She was sitting outside of CVS and we passed her once starting our run and then again heading back to the debrief. The first time we handed her a sandwich, exchanged a few words and continued on. She seemed friendly, but also very absorbed in the book she was reading and trying to keep warm. On our way back, we gave her a second sandwich and stopped to talk with her for a few seconds longer. The first thing I noticed was that she was my age, the second was that the book she was reading was a textbook. She was a student, just like me, trying to get her education so that she could make something of herself.
These are two things we have never really seen during our runs: a community of people that come together to keep each other warm and share food mixed with good humor, and a student who is just like the rest of us. People throw around the word lucky a lot in everyday life, but in both of these cases I think it takes on its true meaning. Those people have a support system, they have others to lean on and to gain strength from. The girl we met is going to school. She’s getting an education, and maybe someday she will be able to help others to get out of the situation she was once in. And then there’s us. We were the lucky ones – because we were the ones that got to take away the lessons that these Harvard Square prophets had to give.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Community
During the run tonight, our group witnessed an extraordinary sense of community. While there are usually many instances of individuals sitting alone in Harvard Square, tonight we saw mostly groups of people, chatting, helping and sharing with one another. Although it was unfortunate and very saddening to see the amount of people we saw tonight, we were somewhat grateful to know that they provided support for one another. Their care for each other showed particularly at one moment, when a woman would give sandwiches up to others before taking one for herself. She took on a motherly role with this group, and made sure that everyone had a meal and was satisfied before she fulfilled her own needs. It is remarkable to think that even in the situations where food and shelter and other necessities are so scarce, people still look out for one another before themselves. I hope that because the people we delivered sandwiches to tonight were among other peers and had support; they were a bit more positive and hopeful than they would be if they had been alone. Community is so important to a person’s sense of security, because no matter what situation a person is in, they have a support network they can rely on for strength, safety, and belonging. This sense of belonging and shared experience seems as though it would be significant in helping a person to cope with the troubles they are dealt.
-Elissa
-Elissa
Friday, November 19, 2010
What We Have
By Elissa
A small group of us went into Harvard Square tonight. Upon reaching the “pit,” we realized there were far more people than we had sandwiches, and every person we offered a sandwich to accepted it. Many of the people in this area were young, no older than us in some cases. They were thankful for what sandwiches we did have, and even though they were outside on a cold night, they were in good spirits. They were friendly and even joked around with us a bit as we said goodbye. It makes me think about how many times a day I wish I was doing something else, or complain about very trivial inconveniences throughout my day. Just one hour earlier, before the run, I had very casually complained about the work I had for class. It wasn’t until I handed a PB&J to someone in the pit that I realized what I had done. In the big scheme of things, most of the people we witnessed tonight are in far more dire situations than I have ever been in. To be without a home is to be without the feeling of security we rely on, but take for granted, everyday. To not have a warm bed to sleep in at night is to not be able to put one day to rest and start anew the next morning. The constant stress of not having a home does not go away at night and return in the morning. It is not something they can forget for a little while, like we may forget about an assignment that is stressing us out or a rocky friendship. It is something that they must always be aware of. To have this kind of trouble but still be able to say “Thanks! You have a good night, too,” with a smile on their faces is something I can’t even fathom. Although I don’t know the precise circumstances of the people we gave sandwiches to tonight, whether they are homeless or not, to even have to accept a sandwich or meal from a stranger because other means of eating aren’t available is troublesome in itself, and very scary for some college students to imagine. The fact that I am in college an am earning an education is reason in itself to think carefully before I complain about something I have to do. The lesson I learn time and time again, and have to continually remind myself of, is that the things I have and the opportunities available to me are privileges, and to forget how special they are is to take life for granted.
A small group of us went into Harvard Square tonight. Upon reaching the “pit,” we realized there were far more people than we had sandwiches, and every person we offered a sandwich to accepted it. Many of the people in this area were young, no older than us in some cases. They were thankful for what sandwiches we did have, and even though they were outside on a cold night, they were in good spirits. They were friendly and even joked around with us a bit as we said goodbye. It makes me think about how many times a day I wish I was doing something else, or complain about very trivial inconveniences throughout my day. Just one hour earlier, before the run, I had very casually complained about the work I had for class. It wasn’t until I handed a PB&J to someone in the pit that I realized what I had done. In the big scheme of things, most of the people we witnessed tonight are in far more dire situations than I have ever been in. To be without a home is to be without the feeling of security we rely on, but take for granted, everyday. To not have a warm bed to sleep in at night is to not be able to put one day to rest and start anew the next morning. The constant stress of not having a home does not go away at night and return in the morning. It is not something they can forget for a little while, like we may forget about an assignment that is stressing us out or a rocky friendship. It is something that they must always be aware of. To have this kind of trouble but still be able to say “Thanks! You have a good night, too,” with a smile on their faces is something I can’t even fathom. Although I don’t know the precise circumstances of the people we gave sandwiches to tonight, whether they are homeless or not, to even have to accept a sandwich or meal from a stranger because other means of eating aren’t available is troublesome in itself, and very scary for some college students to imagine. The fact that I am in college an am earning an education is reason in itself to think carefully before I complain about something I have to do. The lesson I learn time and time again, and have to continually remind myself of, is that the things I have and the opportunities available to me are privileges, and to forget how special they are is to take life for granted.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A Blog That's a Long Time Coming
A smile is something we all take for granted. It is an act between two human beings that makes us feel like we mean something on this earth. Given this definition, it is hard to think about going a day or longer without smiling. You might shrug and say that it doesn’t really matter to you either way, but try going a day without getting smiled at or smiling at anyone. It might be harder than you think. This is something we touched on last night at our debrief after our run. I know there have been blogs about how the people we serve are, in fact, people. I know we have written about how we need to try to make them actually feel like people. But honestly, it is worth repeating. We all have luxuries that we don’t think of as such. We have people we talk to on a daily basis, we have people we can lean on (whether they be friends, family, or a combination of both), and we all receive at least one hug and more smiles than we can count in a day. What if all of that went away? What if you didn’t have someone to get a hug from when you are upset, or to tell you everything is going to be okay?
The people we serve have talked to us, we’ve read their signs, we’ve handed them a simple paper bag with very basic food in them. But unfortunately, that might be the most interaction they get all day. Elissa, one of the leaders, told us about a sign she saw that one man was holding that said something to the effect of “please just smile”. That simple act, that one muscle movement, will give them a little bit of hope. Someone noticed them. Someone acknowledged that they are there, that they are human.
So please. Just smile.
The people we serve have talked to us, we’ve read their signs, we’ve handed them a simple paper bag with very basic food in them. But unfortunately, that might be the most interaction they get all day. Elissa, one of the leaders, told us about a sign she saw that one man was holding that said something to the effect of “please just smile”. That simple act, that one muscle movement, will give them a little bit of hope. Someone noticed them. Someone acknowledged that they are there, that they are human.
So please. Just smile.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
"How are you going to change the world?"
This was written by Elissa May, one of the leaders and the secretary of Lesley Delivers. She and Merrie Rothstein led the run tonight.
Tonight was an interesting night for both groups on the sandwich runs. A lot of communication was made between the students and the people in Harvard Square, which opened our eyes to things that we may not see from day to day. In one instance, a man that accepted a sandwich wanted to know more about our plans for the future, and responded to our goals of becoming Human Service workers and teachers in ways we did not expect. From seeing the lack of change that has occurred throughout the years in society and the social issues involving homelessness and poverty that are still very much prevalent in any community, this man had grown pessimistic about the future. He challenged us in ways we are not used to, asking us questions like, “How are you going to change the world?” This experience left us all a little unsure of ourselves and our futures, but it was a wake up call in the sense that it made us reflect on what we wanted to do for the world, and how in just a few short years of college, it will be our time to make our change.
After every sandwich run, it’s important to reflect on how we could improve our action and what could make our work a little more meaningful. The group has a lot of ideas of ways we can cater more to the needs of the people we serve, and provide them with different meals other than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We sometimes receive responses to the PB&J sandwiches that suggest that the population would prefer something different, such as a ham and cheese sandwich, or something with less sugar. This is feedback that is useful for us to alter and change our program to make it the most useful and beneficial to those we serve. It is our hope that with some planning and reexamining of the club’s process, we can create changes that help us to make the most positive impact in our community.
Tonight was an interesting night for both groups on the sandwich runs. A lot of communication was made between the students and the people in Harvard Square, which opened our eyes to things that we may not see from day to day. In one instance, a man that accepted a sandwich wanted to know more about our plans for the future, and responded to our goals of becoming Human Service workers and teachers in ways we did not expect. From seeing the lack of change that has occurred throughout the years in society and the social issues involving homelessness and poverty that are still very much prevalent in any community, this man had grown pessimistic about the future. He challenged us in ways we are not used to, asking us questions like, “How are you going to change the world?” This experience left us all a little unsure of ourselves and our futures, but it was a wake up call in the sense that it made us reflect on what we wanted to do for the world, and how in just a few short years of college, it will be our time to make our change.
After every sandwich run, it’s important to reflect on how we could improve our action and what could make our work a little more meaningful. The group has a lot of ideas of ways we can cater more to the needs of the people we serve, and provide them with different meals other than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We sometimes receive responses to the PB&J sandwiches that suggest that the population would prefer something different, such as a ham and cheese sandwich, or something with less sugar. This is feedback that is useful for us to alter and change our program to make it the most useful and beneficial to those we serve. It is our hope that with some planning and reexamining of the club’s process, we can create changes that help us to make the most positive impact in our community.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
We're Back!!
Lesley Delivers has started up again! Last week we had our first successful run of the year, with 15 people going out to help make and deliver sandwiches. We had so many new people it was wonderful. We saw many people in Harvard Square we had never seen before, and they were all completely kind and thankful for what we were doing. The experience affected some of the new people in different ways. Some got very emotional as they really saw, for the first time, the faces of hunger and homelessness. Some shared hugs with some of the people receiving sandwiches. In our debrief we talked about how everyone felt, and everyone agreed that they had gained something from what they had just done. Watching some of the freshmen talking about how they had never realized how personal it could be and how they wanted to do it again reminded me why I started doing this in the first place. This is all about connection. You get something every time you serve. You make a connection with another human being, someone who could be just like you only took a different path in life. You gain a better understanding of life through doing things like Lesley Delivers, and I truly hope that as the year goes on we have more runs like our first of the year.
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