Yesterday 50 people from the shelter and the community grabbed trash bags and gloves and hit the streets in Brunswick Basin to clean up trash. The teams cleaned up many campsites near Sutton Way and Plaza Drive in addition to areas around local businesses, like Safeway. Volunteers with dump trucks and pickup trucks collected over 1,000 pounds of garbage to fill a dumpster that was provided by the County of Nevada, CA. It’s pretty dramatic to look at the before and after pictures. Check them out on the Facebook album. Thanks to all of you that came out to make our community a cleaner place to live. One of the guests staying at the shelter who helped clean up trash in a camp said, “I stay at the Hospitality House myself and I am just doing the right thing. We all live here and we’re all a community and we all need to take care of each other.”
I also wanted to share a story from Debra who came to a monthly luncheon we have for people who have moved out into housing. When she came last month she wanted to share:
“I’ve been chronically homeless mostly all my life. I live in a granny unit. I’m pretty happy and I babysit my grandson full-time. I have 18 months clean now and I’m doing really good! It’s still life on life’s terms. I have a big support group. I have some health issues going on but I’m dealing with them. I’m learning today to sit on my hands and not run. I get to live. I’m not dying. I’m not under a tree, spun out, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. It’s pretty awesome. It’s pretty scary . . . “
Now down to the nitty gritty needs of the shelter for THIS week . . .
– Extra-long twin bed for a tall gentleman who moved into a place several months ago and is sleeping on a cot.
– Mens shorts
– Short or ankle socks
– Toilet paper
– Blankets
– Teaching assistant for our Rental Readiness class
Drop off your donations at Utah’s Place, located in Brunswick Basin, past the DMV, at 1262 Sutton Way. Or email Debbie@hhshelter.org with questions.
Go shopping this Saturday! You can score 50% off everything at Bread & Roses Thrift Store on Saturday. Stop by Bread & Roses Thrift, located next to Big A Drive-In and Sierra Cinemas, noon-6, Tuesday-Saturday.