Project Homeless Connect and Perspective

Saint Patrick’s Day, 2011. The day of the fifth annual Project Homeless Connect (PHC) in Lane County, Oregon. Simply “ordinary people finding extraordinary solutions to end homelessness.”

If you’re wondering here what aspect of living a simple, sustainable lifestyle this addresses, it falls squarely into the triple bottom line leg of social equity. This was the third year my wife and I helped. She helped with greeting and I was a restroom monitor (more on that later).

So what, exactly, is PHC?

“In any given night in Lane County, over 3,467 people are homeless or living in temporary shelters. 11,513 individuals in 9,134 households were homeless and received services from our local continuum of care last year. Hundreds more families are “hidden away” moving between family and friends, living in cars or facing imminent threat of eviction. It is difficult for people to feel safe, access health care or mental health treatment, find and maintain a job, resolve legal problems or keep their children in school while trying to manage their housing crisis or keep their families sheltered. People who are homeless struggle daily with the repercussions of unmet basic human needs for safety, stability and shelter.

Project Homeless Connect is a nationwide movement to increase access to services for homeless people and to engage local communities in finding a solution for homelessness. By convening a one-day, “one-stop shop” event, Project Homeless Connect offers assistance with housing, health care, legal issues, benefits enrollment, treatment and other basic needs to people who are homeless.”

This year, over 850 volunteers from our community served right at 1,600 guests. Homeless, near homeless people at risk. I love the restroom monitor slot. The first year I signed us up, we procrastinated and the only available slots were restroom monitors. My wife’s first reaction was something like, “you signed us up for what?” But we served and in doing that, we discovered that the people coming to the event were so respectful of the facility and the volunteers, that restroom monitor really meant hang out in the lobby and chat with people (and occasionally check on the restrooms).

And that’s where our perspective shifted. We met some fascinating people. Today, I met a man in a wheelchair with a service dog named Mr. Ed. I remember the Mr. Ed TV show. And so did he. Perspective.

Then there was Robert, who just needed help carrying his large trash bag of stuff and backpack to the bag check area. Robert walked slowly and haltingly with a cane. The bag check was at the other end of the lobby. I apologized for having to make him walk all the way across the lobby. His response? “It’s good exercise.” Perspective.

Or Matthew, who needed help for his diabetes because he needed insulin and his feet were going numb. Or James who simply wanted a sleeping bag.

It’s opportunities like this that encourage me to live with less stuff. I mean, how many shirts do I need? Simple, sustainable lifestyle. I met Doug, who helps with the Egan Warming Centers in our town. And I was reminded of Mary S. who I wrote about a while back. And I thought I need to volunteer there, too. Perspective.

Then I went through a fast food drive thru for my lunch, they messed up my order and I had to wait while they redid it, apologizing all over themselves. And I was able to say, “No problem. Really.” Perspective. After all, I had money to buy a burger and fries and a car to go through the drive thru and I could eat and not be hungry.

I can’t wait for Project Homeless Connect 2012.

Advent Conspiracy – Give Presence

Sunday, November 28 marks the beginning of Advent. A few years ago, a group of pastors in Portland, Oregon started the Advent Conspiracy. Their concept was simple: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. You’ve probably noticed in my posts that I have a tug in my heart toward those who are the disenfranchised and the less fortunate. And actually, how this fits a simple, sustainable lifestyle is this: we have so much, if we lived just a little simpler, just a little less in the American-Dream-Consumption-Mentality, we could share. Even just a little.

I also have a good friend, Emily, who has a tug in her heart toward an awesome organization called Heifer International. Heifer International was founded in 1944 by a midwestern farmer named Dan West. His story is fascinating. Click here to read it.

Because of Emily and the Advent Conspiracy, I decided this year to lobby my online friends (Facebook and other) to donate an Ark through Heifer. The Oregon Ark is our team and our goal is $5,000. That $5,000 will provide a bevy of animals, two-by-two around the world to people in areas of extreme need.

The Advent Conspiracy mentions how Americans spend $450 BILLION every year on Christmas. Watch their video here. How many times have you bought a gift out of obligation? How many times have you received a gift out of that same obligation?

I’m suggesting, as they do, that you consider buying ONE LESS gift this Christmas. Just one. And consider sending that $25 to Heifer through The Oregon Ark Team to help people around the world who really NEED a sustainable source of food and income.

Food. Income. Hope.

Consider helping your neighbor this Advent Season.

Hannah’s House Freedom Walk

Hannah’s House, a local faith-based recovery program had their Freedom Walk yesterday to help raise money for their very effective program.

You can visit their website to learn more about the work they do, but I just wanted to post how I’m personally glad they also care about our environment. The walk ended with food and snacks and as you can see by the enclosed photo, they separated compost, trash and recyclables. Kudos to Hannah’s House for caring for people and for our world.

theFERN – latest picture

stucco and roof are on theFERN in Marathon, Texas
Steven Jones sent us the latest picture of his version of theFERN that he’s building in Marathon, Texas. His comment: “I love it!”
Thanks, Steven, we’re looking forward to seeing it completed.

thank you for your support!

Wow! Your response to our announcement of our plans being ready has been overwhelming.

By popular request, we will be posting some of the sustainable features of our homes in the coming days. Also, feel free to request topics or ideas you’d like to discuss here. And, to the anonymous voice mail on my cell phone: I fixed the link. Thanks.
More later….