Home(less) for the holidays!

We continue to worry about the workers who have no homes as the weather gets increasingly cold. We do what little we can–a hot lunch once a week with some extra food to take out makes Mondays better. And we are glad to know that there are also hot lunches at other churches on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Elias Garcia dropped by one Monday
Hot lunch, once a week

Later in the winter we have a winter coat drive which is very popular, not just with the homeless but with all the workers, who are trying to stretch money earned during the warmer months to cover expenses throughout the winter.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
Some warm clothes sometimes

It is miserable to be homeless–and in Palisades Park as in most towns simple things like benches, or steps to sit on, or places to get in out of the cold are off-limits.

What can we do, all of us together? If you have contacts, suggestions, options do let us know. The county shelter will only take them in the very worst weather, for a night or two, and only in the “sit-up” section.

If you want to send money we will put it in a special fund to use when we do find a possible solution, at least for a few. (We can’t give them money directly, because alcohol is always an issue.) Sorry to send such depressing news when there is so much anxiety abroad already. But we may find some answers, if we work together!