An Educational Encounter

Last Tuesday night our small Lesley Delivers group had an “interesting” encounter. We had offered a sandwich, coat and socks to a man who seemed new to the Harvard Square area. Upon acceptance of these items, he began to have a conversation with us. The conversation brought up some very interesting social concerns. He began the conversation discussing how the food at shelters was decreasing in quality but the decrease was masked by the vegetarian option. He brought up the point that when someone is homeless, he or she does not have the luxury to be vegetarian. One thing that he mentioned was that “no mental illnesses have ever been proven”. During reflection we discussed that he said this because he may had been dealing with mental illness. Mental illness is a controversial topic when discussing the homeless. Researchers have proven a correlation between mental illness and homelessness, but none have discovered which causes which. The homeless may be homeless because of mental illness; however, homelessness is a traumatic experience that may cause mental illness.

As he began to speak more, we became a little more concerned. He stated “did you know that you can get charged for third degree sexual assault by just looking at a young woman?” We questioned his motivation for saying this. A few members felt unnerved by this. He started to talk about how the people who work at the shelters were against the homeless and would get them arrested for no reason. He said that he had been convicted a couple times before. When one of the members of our group apologized, he responded with “would you say sorry to starving children in Africa?” On that note we decided to leave. This was a sticky situation for us. As members of Lesley Delivers we try to be as nonjudgmental as possible; however, we also need to be concerned for our safety. It is hard to balance this at Lesley Delivers but this is the main reason why we stay in groups and stay on well-lit routes. Overall it was a very educational experience to have it reminded us of the wide range of perspectives that exist.

~Claire

Welcome Back!

Thank you so much to everyone who came out last night on the first run of spring semester! I know it was a bit chilly, but we really helped a lot of people out. To start off, I'd like to introduce myself as the new co-president of Lesley Delivers, as Emay is in South Africa! I am looking forward to the responsibilities coming my way over the semester, and will do everything in my power to keep things running smoothly :)

Last night, we had a group of 21 students who joined us, which is quite a few! We split up into two groups, and I took my group over to the pit. Approaching the pit, I was immediately aware of the commotion: a group of people (who we have seen around before) were playing baseball with a large traffic cone and a milk crate. Yes, a milk crate. To avoid any injuries, we passed them in hopes that they would be done when we came back. We continued with the normal route, though we didn't see anyone else. On our way back to the pit, the group had moved on to throwing a concrete ring around the cone. Me and a few of the other people in my group approached them, offering sandwiches and coats. They were all so incredibly grateful, and that's what gets me every time. Though they were being loud and rambunctious, they still very much appreciated us giving them food and jackets. And that's the reason why I do Lesley Delivers. The fact that we can make someone's night by giving them a smile and a sandwich really makes me feel so wonderful. I know that the rest of the semester, as well as my two remaining years, will be just as fulfilling every time I go out there.

I just want to thank everyone again for coming out last night. You made my first run as co-president a wonderful one, and I hope to see you again soon! Ashley and I have big plans for where Lesley Delivers is going, in collaboration and events. We will definitely keep you updated with everything we have in mind, and hope you join us again!

~Theresa

The Value of Warm Feet

On a day to day basis, we worry about what we’re going to where, what we’re doing this weekend, and may be when that next paper is due. Between classes, work, and family obligations, I personally find it hard to slow down and take a minute to appreciate the aspects of my life I don’t have to worry about. I will be able to eat lunch today even though I didn’t bring food from home and tonight I will be sleeping in my own warm bed. I know where my next meal is coming and I know that when it gets cold outside, I have shelter and proper clothing to protect me from the climate. Before I decided to participate in Lesley Delivers, I lived my life aware that I was lucky, but unaware of exactly how lucky. Poverty is a scary aspect of our reality to many people because it is a threat to all. During our reflections, many people comment on how much this experience helps them to appreciate the small things in life. We talk about how even when we think we have nothing to offer, we always have the opportunity to form a bond with someone. For me, Lesley Delivers has helped me to move on from the fear of poverty and realize the humanity in it. I no longer shy away when I am approaching someone on the street; I smile and wish them a good day. Sometimes a smile and the recognition that, yes, I see you, is worth more than our pocket change. This is a lesson that, as president, I hope to provide to the Lesley community. Regardless of their condition or how they ended up there, we are all people and we all deserve to be seen.

Lesley Delivers is a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals in our community. Some people we see only once and others we see every week. Last night, we approached a man that we have routinely seen. The fact that we approached him to offer a sandwich is not new, but his response was. In all of my time with Lesley Delivers, we have always offered and he has never accepted. Just as our guidelines specify, we respect his right to decline. Last night this man accepted our food. For me, this moment showed the impact that Lesley Delivers has with this community. To accept food from a stranger, there has to be a certain amount of trust. I do not know anything about this man’s journey, but I do know that last night this man trusted us. I am also happy to add that in addition to a meal, we were able to offer this man and the other people we met last night, a clean pair of socks. We have enough socks, donated by Boston Bowl, to last through the rest of the semester! In March, during Hunger and Homelessness Week, we sponsor a panel of members of the homeless community. One of the most striking comments that a participant made last year was that a clean pair socks was the best thing anyone could offer. Because of that comment, I worked to get sock donations this semester and we will now be able to hand them out with every sandwich.

I want to thank everyone who came out last night and to everyone that supports our initiative. Coming up at Lesley Delivers is our annual Coat and Blanket Drive, sponsored by Lesley’s softball team, beginning on November 14^th. Boxes will be all around campus and we welcome all gently worn coats, blankets, and winter accessories! Also, on Tuesday, November 15^th we will be co-sponsoring a movie event with Community Service Club and Students for Social Justice. We will be showing the movie, Pursuit of Happyness, that is about a man and his young son who find themselves homeless. The movie is based on the man’s autobiography and is truly an inspiration. Following the movie, we will be having a short discussion about portrayals of the homeless and hungry population in the media. After discussing issues of poverty we will then have the opportunity to take action by participating in a usual Lesley Delivers run! All aspects of the evening are optional, but we hope that people will come to this unique event. We are suggesting a donation of a non-perishable food and in exchange you will receive a raffle ticket for the chance to win one of three amazing prizes! We hope to see many of you there!

Again, thank you to all participants and supporters for making this semester as co-president of Lesley Delivers far exceed my expectations!

- Ashley

A bread-tastic surprise

Last night we encountered a fair amount of people within the first the few minutes of our run on the stretch by CVS. I continued down the Au Bon Pain route, and noticed some of the same people I've seen out other weeks. Something that caught my attention on the way back was a huge box of bread sitting at the back of one of the entrances to the t (the one right in front of the new Starbucks and Pinkberry). It looked like it from Panera. I know Panera doesn't keep their leftovers at the end of the night, but I'm pleased that someone was willing to drop the extras off at Harvard Square, instead of throwing them out. I mean, who doesn't love bread?

Last week we also saw some food left out near the church. I kind of wish there could be one place where people knew to leave food, and then people in need would know where to go. Speaking of that, one thing that came up during our discussion was that a usually popular spot near the Tannery that has been empty the last few weeks. The group that takes that route noticed that the small area closed off by tarps and wooden boards had been nailed shut. In previous seasons we had a relationship with some of the people we saw frequently, and we knew that closed off space was a safe place to leave sandwiches, blankets, coats, or anything else we might have to offer. We had been told by people who we frequently saw on our runs that it was safe spot, and that they would get to the people who needed them.

Something else that came up during discussion was that, as you all have probably noticed, it has gotten quite chilly outside! We do have a coat and blanket drive coming up in November, and we'll pass out the donations on our runs. I think it gets even harder to see people who are without a home as the weather gets worse, and I know I'll be glad to do what I can to help, even if it's as simple as offering them a blanket with their sandwich.

Ginny

Lesley Delivers and Occupy Boston

Both groups on our Lesley Delivers Run tonight noticed that there were significantly less people in need of a sandwich. Many members of Lesley Delivers thought that it might be due to people staying at Occupy Boston. The Occupy Boston protest is a safe place where the hungry and homeless can get access to food, shelter and a medicine tent. Many also feel that someone who is homeless may feel more connected to the Occupy Boston cause. We hope that everyone who we usually see in Harvard Square is safe and hopefully has a nice place to sleep.

We also discussed when it is appropriate to ask someone if they want a sandwich. As Ashley and I went down the alley near Border Café we passed a man who we were not sure was homeless. Ashley thought he wasn’t because he was wearing nice clothes; whereas I thought he was because he had long beard and messy hair. This sparked a conversation about how we tend to judge people to be homeless based on superficial stereotypes about appearances. It could be that someone is homeless and we cannot tell while someone may appear homeless who lives comfortably in a home. The group concluded that it is best to ask and offend someone than it is to let someone go hungry.

Thanks to everyone who came out to night! We realize that it is midterm time and everyone is probably busy with papers and exams. We appreciate your time!

-Claire

Getting Into the Swing of Things!

Despite the semester kicking up with papers and midterms, we had about 17 students show up on Tuesday night, smiling and ready to go. Some of the new faces are becoming more familiar, but we're still getting new ones every week, which is fantastic. We met as usual and made sandwiches, and we also got a generous donation of fresh vegetables from a student interning at City Sprouts. A few students took on the challenge of washing and cutting the vegetables, and in no time we had salad-in-a-bag! These vegetables will last us for the next few runs because she gave us so much, which we are grateful for. We also put granola bars and juice boxes in the bags with the sandwiches, which is another great addition and will also be included every week from here on out.

When we got to the church and split into two groups so we could start on our separate routes, we encountered something that doesn't come up often. One of the younger guys who we've been giving sandwiches to for the past couple of weeks was in the middle of the sidewalk yelling at and kicking his dog. This went on for longer than it should have, and many of us just stood there frozen and staring, not knowing what to do. We handled it as best we could, and after the run Ashley made a great point that "our safety is our number one priority." Ashley reassured everyone in the group that this doesn't usually happen, but we need to be prepared if it arises again. Basically, the groups just need to remove themselves from situations such as these so we can stay safe. After the incident, we went about the rest of our route, and we were able to give him a sandwich on our way back. He was appreciative of it, and so were the other guys he was sitting with.

Seeing so many young people out on our run made me appreciate what I have, and I'm sure the other students got that too. I realize that I take for granted the fact that I never go hungry, and I never question where I'm getting my next meal from. What prompted these thoughts for me was when I gave one of the guys a sandwich and he said "Thanks, I'm gonna eat this tomorrow. I try to eat as little as possible because I never know when I'm gonna have food." That's really sticking with me. It makes me so grateful for everything that I have, and it warms my heart that we can provide some food for those in need.

-Theresa

A New Beginning

This semester for Lesley Delivers has shown great dedication and excitement already. Our first run of the semester last week had about 35 students involved, handing out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches generously donated by Flour Bakery and Cafe. The number of students that came out for this run was amazing, something that Lesley Delivers has not seen in quite a while! Having new faces in our group was refreshing, and it was clear that the experience was eye-opening for the new members of the Lesley community. New ideas were suggested and shared with the group, including extending routes to further places in Cambridge like Central Square and Porter Square. The returning members were grateful for some fresh perspectives to liven up our Lesley Delivers experience and make it something new this year. We also have sophomores and a junior, Theresa Powers, Claire Enderson, and Ginny Trufan, who have stepped up as role models and leaders for the new students, and have led by example of how to complete a Lesley Delivers run. As students who grew to understand the values of Lesley University through this program, returners were excited to see new students grow familiar with the idea of connecting with members in the community and erasing stereotypes of people who are hungry and homeless. Hearing new students say, "Wow, that man was really nice!" and see them become exposed to the harsh realities of living without a home or food shows just how much of an impact Lesley Delivers has on new students.

Last night, despite the rain and colder weather, we had about 17 students show up again! Some were returners from last week, and some were new faces in the crowd. We took part in actually making the sandwiches this week, rather than packing up the meals like last week. This smaller group allowed for more people to participate in handing out sandwiches and feel engaged in the program. I noticed a lot more students stepping up and personally offering the sandwiches to individuals, which made me feel really good! This small step shows that we are gaining confidence in our ability to cross that threshold and make a connection. Once the ice is broken, relationships among us and those we serve can develop and strengthen our community.

As Theresa and I walked to meet up with the group, we noticed a young person sitting with a sleeping bag along a street that isn't typically part of a LD route. We altered our route at the end of the night to accommodate for this person and make sure that they, too, received a sandwich. I was happy we did this, because it showed that we are not just falling into a routine and getting by with what we need to do. We are consistently looking for ways to improve and reach a higher potential of the amount of people we can reach in one night.

Overall, Ashley and I are very excited with the way things are going with Lesley Delivers this semester. The number of students showing up with excitement and motivation is encouraging, and it just goes to show how much potential a group of people has when they come together to make a difference. I'm looking forward to see how Lesley Delivers develops this semester and is changed for the better by the new batch of members we are gaining.

-Elissa May