However, it was a sobering experience in other respects. As we were wrapping up, I noticed a man in a wheelchair nearby. Jim had no legs. I asked him if he needed anything. He said no thanks. He was just hanging out with a younger man, Bruce, age 47 from Chicago. They told me a few days ago, Jim was mugged by two men who stole his wallet. The police couldn’t help him find the cowards and even asked Jim if he had been drinking. Jim was insulted. But as Mike can tell you, that is life on the street. I asked him about how he lost his legs. He said about five years ago he got drunk with some guys and then was beat up badly and set on fire. He woke up 3 months later in the hospital with no legs. Mike and I looked at each other in shock. In the three years I’ve been doing this outreach, this story was the saddest.

His new friend, Bruce is black. Jim is white. Bruce and I discussed the meaning of MLK Day to homeless black males. “It’s just another day on the street’, he said. He went on a long discussion about MLK, faith, history, etc. He is very intelligent and passionate. He’s a Muslim but was critical of Islam as well as Christianity. Another younger black male joined the discussion. He said there are no holidays on the street. Ironically, holidays are worse. Government and bus services are effected.

The homeless outreach hopefully will continue next month. If interested, contact me at scott@maidastouch.net or drop off donations at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 4201 Sheridan Av. S., Minneapolis. Mens clothes are the biggest need, especiallly gloves. 

Thank you from myself, Mike and the all too many people trying to survive on the streets.

This is the 3rd year of the Homeless Donation Drive I initiated with my long time friend Mike, who was homeless for a few years. He is now been sober and off the street for over a year.  The first drive of the season was mid-December. Mike could not make it due to working a new job…which was welcomed news. So I asked Jo Bolles, a fellow church member from St. John’s Episcopal,  to help out.  With the aid of my two sons, I organized the donations and loaded them in the van.  Next morning at 6, Jo and I drove to Currie Avenue right by the Salvation Army and Catholic Charoties shelters. We unloaded the new and used goods as they were coming out onto the street.  It was hectic for a while, as usual, but at least there were no snowbanks to climb over this time. Jo and I directed people to gloves, hats, coats, etc. and helping them try on coats and sweaters.  Most of the folks are courteous and gracious.. even if they don’t find what they want, some are quiet while others boisterous. Many of these people look and act like anyone you meet on the street.. except they ARE on the street. It’s sad.  Yes, they have different cultures and background but all are in the same situation… surviving on the street and trying to get some sleep in shelters. After about 15-20 minutes we run out of some supplies and it’s disappointing.  The last time, a man was searching for gloves and we were out.  I gave him mine and helped him put them on. He was blind. 

Afterward, we took a few unclaimed women’s items and kids clothes to People Serving People and finished the day with a cup of Joe with Jo.  She was a wonderful, warm presence and a tremendous help.

 Most of the clothing comes from St. John’s members but several friends have chipped in as well as lost and found items from Lake Harriett Community School and the local Dunn Bros. More is needed in the next week. So if you can donate warm clothing (gloves.. the highest priority….. hats, scarves, coats, socks, sweaters, long underwear as well as backpacks and duffle bags)  drop them off during the day at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 4201 Sheridan Av. S. in Minneapolis or contact me at scott@maidastouch.net .

Thank you very much.

Martin Luther King Day was hardly a celebration for some people. All this talk of being civil and the strides made by the civil rights movement seemed hollow to many of the homeless people I saw that snowy Monday morning.

I was in Downtown Minneapolis early  that day to distribute donations to homeless folks as they exited the two busiest shelters, the Salvation Army Harbor Lights and the Catholic Charities Shelter. It was disheartening that the vast majority of the men and women  I saw were African-American, although not surprising. Last year when I initiated this charity drive and again this winter, that is always the case. On this day, it was more poignant and profound. I asked a couple of men about MLK Day.. one gentleman  said everyday is MLK day. We had a witty exchange and he was on his way… smiling and laughing, a rare site on the street.  One pleasant man  said it was just like any other day. We talked for while I was busy helping people find what they were looking for in the bins I laid out on a plastic tarp. He said his meds were working and hoped that would mean he would be too. He was looking forward to the MLK program the Salvation Army was hosting in the chapel. Not everyone is as optimistic and gentle. One  man was disappointed about not finding any large coats. I told him I had only a couple and they went fast. That just got him more agitated about being a Muslim on the street. He ranted about getting nothing but meat at shelter dinners and having to suffer Christian teachings to get certain services. He complained about hearing people call Muslims terrorists. His language was violent. I was the only one listening. I gave him a card with a list of services but he threw it down. I asked if he called the United Way for information or went to a local Mosque for help. He said the Muslim community was the only source of help for him. I told him I was sorry he was having this issues and I would try to save him a large coat next time but he stormed off.  I couldn’t help him, of course.. and I could not even begin to feel his pain and anger.

On the other end of the spectrum was a gentle man reciting the bible to me as he looked for warm articles of clothing for his very old mother.   I saw more women than usual this time around, including a couple of familiar faces. One was a beautiful and elegant woman from Tennessee.. still searching for the father of her child. It seems many people on the street are searching for something. Some are even looking for something specific to wear.. a certain color or style of scarf, coat or hat. While others would wear whatever would keep them warm, even one glove or a man wearing a women’s coat (most men would not). Many women really appreciated some of the finer things I had and most of the folks were genuinely grateful overall. Sure, they can get clothes from free stores and other shelters, but this outreach provides them with something warm right out of the shelter and onto another cold day on the street.

I’d like to thank St. John’s Episcopal Church for their continued support and the majority of the donations.

Oh yes and a special thanks to the Harbor Lights worker who jumped my van’s battery.

To donate contact me or drop off warm clothes to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Southwest Minneapolis.

I recently went on a donation drive for the homeless for the 5th time this winter. The project was initiated by myself and a good friend who is homeless. That friendship helped open my eyes to the difficult life of homelessness and seeing it for myself opened them even wider. And also opened my heart.

While helping the folks find what they need, I get to chat with some like Larry who wanted me to save a coat for a woman in a wheelchair who was going to be released from the hospital in a few days. Paul was looking for something for his 5-year-old daughter…one of several people this winter who have asked items for their children. Cuban native Maria and vibrant Robin from Tennessee were happy to find some scarves and a new hat. Will is a well groomed, intelligent and witty young man who appreciated styles of some clothes. He and several others are familiar faces.  Faces that show the stress of walking the streets, restless sleep in shelters, and a cloudy future. But many faces had smiles of gratitude and a positive attitude. An energy that feeds mine.

This time around, I was stocked with several bags of blankets and a massive donation of lost and found from Lake Harriett Community School. http://lakeharriet.mpls.k12.mn.us/index.html The blankets were requested by St. Stephens Human Services,  http://ststephensmpls.org/ which helps families in transition and was a shelter my homeless friend often used, and the kids clothes and lunch boxes were taken to People Serving People. http://www.peopleservingpeople.org/

I was given a tour of their large facility near the Metrodome. They do amazing work for a lot of people in transition. They, like most shelters, have enough kids clothes for now, but can find a place for the excess. Adult clothes and household items are still in demand for shelters, however.

I continue to receive many supplies and encouragement from the generous congregation of my wonderful church, St. John’s Episcopal http://www.stjohns-mpls.org/ .  Several friends, like Ron and Nichole Johnson, donated several bags of quality clothes. Mary Tan dropped off more lost and found from her favorite establishment. One of our family friends brought over several items their 9 year old son bought with his allowance and my son’s 3rd grade teacher, Barb Boerboon and her husband, donated a large bag of sweaters.

My 6th drive will be mid-March. Still needed are adult gloves and socks especially.. hats, coats, footwear,  sweaters and sweatshirts, pants, backpacks and duffle bags, underwear and toiletries. I’m also being to stock up for spring with shirts and t-shirts.

Shelters need blankets, sheets, pillows, alarm clocks, strollers, and kitchen supplies. You can check the links above to find out more. Of course, contact me for more information and assistance. People can still drop off at my church and home.

My email is scott@maidastouch.net

To see a story about how the project started and a video, see my previous blog.

The weather turned cold and so I heated up the preparation. Again, St. John’s Episcopal Church continues its remarkable support as well as friends, family and strangers who read the article I wrote for the Downtown and Southwest Journals.

One contributor, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis donated a bag of knitted hats and scarves.  Children’s Home Society and Family Services in St. Paul threw in 5 large bags of extra knitted hats and scarves. The wonderful people at Helping Paws, a service dog organization, read the story and the founder Eileen Bohn dropped off a large bag of clothes.

It’s been an inspiring experience for me and I hope to continue receiving donations and maybe some corporate or foundation support. Hence, I shot (with help from my wife) a video of the prep and delivery and short interviews with a few homeless gentlemen.

I intend on going back Downtown Friday the 19th and bring blankets to St. Stephens Shelter and lost and found from Lake Harriett Community School for a family shelter in need.

I have been blessed with a unique opportunity to help the homeless in Downtown Minneapolis.  I have a long time friend who has been homeless off and on for the past couple of years. We reconnected last fall and that sparked a grass roots donation drive in my community in SW Minneapolis. I wrote a story about the project for the Downtown Journal, reprinted in the SW Journal.

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?&story=14884&page=65&category=95

Since the published article, I met my friend for a 3rd time outside two shelters and was joined by a homeless man who attends my church.. who has since found an apartment. It was -20 wind chill. I saw some familar faces.. and met some new folks including a cheerful woman, Angie, who used a cane. She was thrilled to get some new boots. Angie told me she was hoping this would be her only day on the street. I told her I didn’t want to see her again.  I continued to expand the donations beyond the church walls. http://www.stjohns-mpls.org/ This time around I loaded several bags of lost and found articles donated by two Dunn Bros coffee shops in my neighborhood, http://dunnbros.com/ as well as several donations from friends who read the article on my Facebook page. My friend and I went into the Salvation Army Chapel across the street to warm up and talk to a couple of his friends. We took our leftovers,  children’s clothes and a donated bag of food to House of Charity Downtown Minneapolis. We celebrated with a cup of coffee and cocoa at the Loring Park Dunn Bros, our usual spot.  I can’t get my friend off the street.. that’s up to him… but in the meantime we are sharing a fulfilling experience.. which will continue throughout the winter. If you want to help, contact me or drop off items at the 3 locations I listed at the end of the published story.