Little Person

This past Saturday was my last day of making lunches to pass out to homeless, hungry individuals on my streets of Everett. My experience has been, for whatever reason, not entirely shocking for me. This seems strange because when I really think about what it must mean for someone to be homeless it is quite shocking. However, I have felt like I was simply doing something that was helpful for my community over these past Saturdays. One might even say that I've felt pleasant while interacting with my homeless community, as I then head home to my family and my heated apartment with my comfy bed and fridge of food. This Saturday was not the same for me. Tears are coming to my eyes still.

As I went in to the Everett Public Library with Sharon, to corral the down trodden folks utilizing some free heat, the seeming endless amounts of faces that were receptive to our message of "lunch is being served out front for about the next 15 minutes if you're hungry" was shocking. There had to have been at least 30-40 men in need. So far this is the highest number of people, not that we've come across in a day, but definitely grouped together at the library. A man that Sharon had given a jacket to a couple of weeks prior was there. Tenessee accent, handsome, smiling, and polite, this man generously shared his personal progress with us that he'd made over the weeks, applying at numerous jobs as well as for a FAFSA on-line to become one of us ( a college student that is). All it takes is a lack of income and there too go I. Without a home and in need of food, working against circumstances that are working against him, this man is seeking help and a way to improve his life. All I could think was that I know how freaking hard it is for so many people to find a job right now. And how quickly we all could experience this same situation of homelessness.

After giving away most of our food at the library, we headed to the transit station, where most people were too cold to want to chit-chat with us. More lunches met the mouths of hungry people. We then drove down the street to Everett's men's mission, which is where I ended up losing all illusions of "pleasantries" that I had been experiencing. Now, although I had been to the mission on prior Saturdays passing out lunches, today struck me hard. We got out of the car, preparing to serve the few sac lunches we had left, along with some cup-o-noodles and hot chocolate, courtesy of the large hot water dispenser in the back of Sharon's car. First of all, I was freezing, and I was wearing layers of a shirt, a sweatshirt, a heavy jacket, and oh yea, did I mention, socks and shoes, too. As I looked around I saw numerous bodies sleeping on the cement ground, some under tarps, most tucked between cars and the wall of the overpassing bridge. Within minutes we had a crowd of people, and soon the sac lunches were gone, as were the cup-o-noodles, and lastly the hot chocolates. No body was rude or grabby or pushy. Nope. Everybody waited there turn, even the man that showed up behind me, wearing no jacket, no sweatshirt, no socks and no shoes. He was as patient and polite as ever, even while he shivered. I asked him what size shoe he wore, and so did one of the other volunteer students, as it was shocking. And then there was a woman, a mother that showed up alongside of me, holding her four year old daughter's hand, waiting patiently and quietly. . . for nothing as all of our resources had been passed out. I felt frantic that we must have something left, and surely we did. One capri sun that had been hiding under a plastic bag. So as the little person and her mother walked away I followed to hand her the juice. I asked her if she was out in the elements and she told me "No, we have an apartment". This was not as reassurring as one might think, as just because you have a roof over your head doesn't mean that you can afford the bill to heat the rooms or keep cold any food in a fridge. And as this woman was there with the intention of getting warm clothes from the mission, it was apparent that she was in need. I turned to get into the car and I couldn't help myself. I cried. Like a little baby. I cried.


Now, what happened next I believe was somewhat against protocol, but Sharon took us students up to the Goodwill, where she purchased a very nice pair of boots (we'd already given him socks), a sweatshirt, a jacket, a sleeping bag, and a super warm blanket for the man we had met with no shoes on his feet. We also found a sweet pink blanket and a stuffed polar bear for the four-year old we'd met. Unfortunately, we weren't able to give it to her as there were five more children by the time we showed back up and then how do you single out just one child amidst a group of them in need? As for the man's items, we bundled them up as small and discreetly as possible, so that we didn't draw any undue attention his way. This was because we were trying to avert anything bad from befalling him after we'd left, such as him being jumped for his new sleeping bag or boots.

Sharon spent just over $50 at the Goodwill, but I quickly saw how this would add up for a person that chose to purchase items for people in need. One person cannot possibly save an entire community in need, however, we can. There have got to be people out there that have some kind of a plan or that are intelligent enough to come up with a way to start. Sharon made mention of the Housing Authority needing volunteers for certain projects and she couldn't figure out why in the world they didn't employ our homeless community and pay them with food and shelter. So she is one person with some beautiful and progressive ideas that presented to the "right" person could change the course of humanity. Because no matter what, no human being deserves to know such desolate conditions of life. If you have even an ounce of give in you, you can make a difference. If you wonder where you should start, call Sharon Shultz @ 425-388-9037.