With the crazy weather over the weekend, more people have been seeking shelter than we have beds for, even with the 15 overflow beds in the dining room. We are thankful there was a warming shelter that opened last weekend on those cold nights.
This is a story from a gentleman currently staying at the shelter:
“I was married for 37 years to a wonderful woman; she was my wife and 35 of those years she was totally disabled. She died in August and at that point I lost her, I lost my house, I lost everything and it was hard for me to accept that at the time. I used to drive for Telecare. This was a bus service to pick up the elderly and the disabled and I also worked for IHSS In-Home Health Services taking care of my wife. Because of an accident I had to quite my job there and because of her death, I lost IHHS so I became homeless and I found this place was was the only option I could find and I came here and I was scared I had never been in a situation like this and it really bothered me to have to rely on the people because I was always the one in charge. I was always the one that could give, that could help, that could be there for people and when I found myself in that position of needing, it was hard for me. When I came to the point to where I had to accept the fact that and I needed help, I came to Hospitality House and like I said I was scared at first but I swallowed my fear and went through with it and I found that the people weren’t that different than anyone on the street, anyone that’s homeless, anyone that was in a house. People don’t understand how close they are to homelessness until they realize that if they’re on a tight budget that they’re one paycheck away from being homeless themselves and that’s a hard point for people to understand but they should. Hospitality House has brought me to a point where I am now applying for apartments. I am looking for help in all kinds of ways that I never would have before it’s giving me the strength to ask for help.”
Now down to the nitty gritty needs of the shelter . . .
– Backpacks, any size
– Mens pants, 32-40
– Mens belts
– Socks
– Towels
– Twin flat sheets
– Blankets
– Gas cards for those guests with vehicles, that need gas money to get to jobs or medical appointments
– Protein bars for lunches
– Art supplies
Drop off your donations at Utah’s Place, located in Brunswick Basin, past the DMV, at 1262 Sutton Way.
And to leave you with this quote from Charles Swindoll, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”