Monday, March 30, 2009

FeedSeattle on Hiatus

It saddens me greatly but I am going to have to put FeedSeattle on Hiatus for a month or two. My work duties have changed such that I am going to have to work graveyard shifts, weekends, and crazy split shifts (12a-5a then 2p-6p or so). I assure you all that I will still be serving the homeless on my own, I simply will not have the ability, or regular enough schedule, to coordinate a larger effort. I'm confident that y'all will continue as well, I know you are a great group of people with a deep love for the homeless.

Take care all!

ToddS

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Eleventh Feed - RSVP Time

I got a phone call from Coal Creek Chapel a few days ago, a Church in Bellevue that has partnered with us many times. The phone call resulted in me picking up hundreds, if not thousands, of brand new tshirts and polos last night ... Now we need to figure out how to distribute them. I've no idea how we are going to do it, but figuring it out is half the fun!

I'm also going to change from Tuesday to Wednesday next week, so peoples can go have some Green Beer fun on Tuesday.

So, RSVP by noon Tuesday if you are able to meet up at 7pm on wednesday to inventory and organize lots of shirts then go distribute. Also let me know if you are willing/able to drive and how many people you can take with you. should be a good time!

ToddS

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Tenth Feed - Stories

Tenth Feed was, indeed, as exciting and fruitful as we had hoped. The event started the night before when myself and co-worker Brian went to Costco and purchased a complete flat bed cart full of snack food, about $500 worth ... and let me tell ya, the cart was hard to push around those screaming little kids. Once again I'm glad I have a pickup.







The morning started off with lots of coffee. At 10am about 7 Feed Seattle Volunteers and 9 people from Servant Church in Lynnwood showed up and we got busy. After putting snack packs together, all which included socks that were collected and donate by an 8th grade class on the East Side, we split into 3 groups and headed out; 5th Ave, Seattle Center, and Pike Market. Pike was a new location for us since we never go there Tuesday nights, but it makes sense to go there on a Saturday morning. Here are some words from one of the volunteers ...


"Met a guy coming out of the Senior Center in the bottom of Pike Place. He said his name was Nash. He was confused at first... not sure why I was being so friendly, but he saw the socks and got really excited. I shook his hand and made eye contact with him and he lit up. He was geniunely touched. Something I shared with the group I was walking with that I've found to be true, is the need to shake hands and make eye contact with the folks we are serving. It's an act to show that you recognize their dignity and pride. Nash seemed to appreciate the handshake and eye contact more than the food. I also met up with a Mexican man and his small granddaughter outside of a women's resource center. The little girl was without shoes or a coat. Grandpa had her bundled in his jacket. Her Mom was inside trying to get some help. It was very hard to keep walking after that."

At the same time Coal Creek Chapel was down at Occidental Park handing out Chicken Teriyaki and Rice, along with coffee and cloths and all sorts of goodness. Apparently they were nearly mauled for their Teri Chick Bowls; AWESOME!

About noon the guys from the Fiji house at UW came down and 16 of us put together 400 bags in about an hour, all while watching the UW basketball game on the big screen... it was quite the whirlwind of flying doritos and socks. Then they loaded up bags full of bags and headed off to distribute in many various locations


Overall it was a great time, and to think it all started with a simple phone call, from Pastor Chris, while I was home sick one day and he wanted to know how we were going to distribute the 500+ pairs of socks that were collected. A few emails later we had a plan and a total of 4 organizations coordinating to feed the homeless on the streets of Seattle on the same Satruday afternoon; THAT'S what it's all about.

Hope to see y'all on Tuesday for Eleventh Feed!!!

ToddS