Volunteer Update
With Comic-Con a memory, and the dog days of summer upon us, I wanted to take a moment to express TACO’s thanks for all your support. Donations this year are at record levels, and our shoe drive gave out over 100 pairs!
However, there is always more to be done, and the hot weather brings new challenges to our guests. If you are so inclined, TACO could use donations of hats, sunscreen, socks, and t-shirts to help those on the streets cope with the myriad of summer challenges they face. One major challenge I have noticed are severe sunburns on many of our guests due to a lack of shelter/covering. In addition, the lack of “safe spaces” to go during the day, leaves many of our guests vulnerable to dehydration, sun stroke, and exhaustion. This was particularly evident during Comic-Con as police cracked down on the homeless, in order to present San Diego’s “best face”. One guest summed it up by stating “we are basically herded around Downtown all day”.
Because of this, your donations truly do matter, and all of us are extremely grateful to the congregation at First Lutheran. Blessings to you all, and have a wonderful safe summer.
-Brad Young, Volunteer Coordinator
We have been gifted with huge amounts of in-kind donations including large boxes of hygiene items.
This shipment included more than 1500 razors along with multiple boxes of soaps, shampoos, combs, etc., and it seems that others flocked as well to bring us shirts and blankets and sleeping bags galore. Special thanks to Melinda Persons of First Lutheran for arranging the above palette of hygiene items.
With Comic-Con a memory, and the dog days of summer upon us, I wanted to take a moment to express TACO’s thanks for all your support. Donations this year are at record levels, and our shoe drive gave out over 100 pairs!
However, there is always more to be done, and the hot weather brings new challenges to our guests. If you are so inclined, TACO could use donations of hats, sunscreen, socks, and t-shirts to help those on the streets cope with the myriad of summer challenges they face. One major challenge I have noticed are severe sunburns on many of our guests due to a lack of shelter/covering. In addition, the lack of “safe spaces” to go during the day, leaves many of our guests vulnerable to dehydration, sun stroke, and exhaustion. This was particularly evident during Comic-Con as police cracked down on the homeless, in order to present San Diego’s “best face”. One guest summed it up by stating “we are basically herded around Downtown all day”.
Because of this, your donations truly do matter, and all of us are extremely grateful to the congregation at First Lutheran. Blessings to you all, and have a wonderful safe summer.
-Brad Young, Volunteer Coordinator
Social Work Update
We have assisted two more of our clients to qualify for Social Security disability. Both have had significant disabilities.
While neither of them have been able to secure housing (there really are very limited options and those options are often all filled up), after more than 10 years on the street they are thankful to have the legitimacy that comes from federal assistance.
Our weekly numbers continue to be in the range of 25 to 30 clients coming to access services. While the majority of clients are familiar to us about 20% are new on average.
Services provided have ranged from
· assistance with documents
· access to psychiatric care
· access to medical care
· grief over loss
· access to food
With my MSW Intern having completed her year I have relied on our able Assistants, Bob Case and Silvia Covarrubias to assist clients with basic needs i.e. mail, some telephone calling, & document assistance. This is especially true when the person in need is Spanish-speaking as my Spanish is at a very primitive level and Silvia is biligual/bicultural!
And in addition we welcome back Margaret Alba, MSW! Margaret had been with us in 2015 & 2016 as a part-time social worker through a series of special grants. We are fortunate to have her with us again on a temporary basis now. Margaret will be working about eight hours a week so that we can better help our many clients who come.
-Jim Lovell, Executive Director
We continue to get the most awesome fresh produce from Tierrasanta Lutheran Church!
From cabbage to onions and everything in between, these donations help us create fresh, nutritious meals for our patio guests.
Often, the food options available to those living on the street and on low incomes are limited, with sugary and starchy foods being the cheapest and most widely available.
Thanks to our friends at Tierrasanta, and their “Giving Garden,” we can offer those who come to our meals a bit more variety. Thanks to everyone who’s contributed!