Over the last week, seven people have moved out of the shelter into another living situation: one woman, three men and a small family–father, mother and 18-month-old! We are especially thrilled for one gentleman who has been homeless for years. He suffers from mental illness with acute paranoia and extreme cancer treatment over the years has taken a toll on his internal organs, causing multiple health issues. Our case manager, Fred, worked on a plan with his local family, who are taking over his care. Many times Hospitality House stands in the gap between crisis and stability, providing a pathway so that, in the words of Utah Phillips, “No one falls through the cracks.” All of those formerly homeless guests will be invited to the monthly post-housing luncheon. The housing case manager hosted this post-housing luncheon last week to provide budgeting, social support and education for former guests out living on their own.
A special thank you to the students at Alta Sierra Elementary for doing a toilet paper drive for the shelter. The students collected over a hundred rolls of TP and hundreds of granola bars for Hospitality House.
On another note: Bread & Roses Thrift Store needs your costume jewelry donations! We are doing a jewelry drive, so as you are doing your spring cleaning, bring us the jewelry treasures that just aren’t YOU anymore. We also accept furniture, except mattresses and pillows. You can drop off donations behind Bread & Roses, Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5pm. All sales at Bread & Roses Thrift benefit Hospitality House, so your quality donations help the shelter! And so do your purchases. Come in to the store at the corner of East Main and Hughes, We have a great stock of lightweight sweaters and shirts, shoes and items to decorate your home. Bread & Roses Thrift is open Tuesday-Saturday from noon-6 p.m. On those Saturdays, we need volunteers at Bread & Roses Thrift. Grab a friend or teenage grandchild and help sort clothes on Saturday! Drop by or email sue@hhshelter.org
Every night of the week a different team prepares dinner for the guests at the shelter. If you have been wanting to serve with a group of friends or a club, we need a dinner group to cook the third Monday of the month. If you are interested in creating or joining a dinner group, please call 615.0852. This week we are so thankful to Twin Cities Church, Unity, the Nightcrawlers, Mary Liebke’s team plus Abundant Life Church and the Universal Unitarians for bringing the ingredients and cooking up a wonderful dinners for 54 people. As we move into spring and summer temperatures, the “overflow” dining room sleeping quarters are closed, bringing the total beds available back down to 54 from 69.
Now down to the nitty gritty needs of the shelter for THIS week . . .
– Handwarmers for our street clients
– A used but working iPad
– lightweight blankets
– Mens pants, sizes 30-36
– Art supplies, specifically a set of new journals, and used canvases and acrylic paints and brushes for a therapeutic art class.
Drop off your donations at Utah’s Place, located in Brunswick Basin, past the DMV, at 1262 Sutton Way.
Hospitality House is a community shelter and the county’s own Telestream high-tech company helps their own. They sponsored a whole week in March at Hospitality House, providing shelter and care during that rainy month. Thank you Telestream!
And finally, mark your calendars for a jazz concert on May 9, benefitting Hospitality House: Jerry Grant and the NUJAZZ ALTERNATIVE VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA: blending rock, classical, jazz and electronic elements into an eclectic style. With Special Guests:
Motoshi Kosako – Harpist-Lyrical improvisation
Tumble -,African influenced trance jazz
Gary Regina – world jazz, multi-instrumentalist looper
Sands Hall – folk/ jazz/ Americana, singer/songwriter/actor/director/writer
with Maggie McKaig & Randy McKean
The Jerry Grant and the NUJAZZ ALTERNATIVE VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA show is May 9, at the Nevada Theater. Get your tickets at BriarPatch!