The Examined Life

 

 

v Here are some details on “National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.  The Calendar is still being developed but here’s a draft.

 

v 7/09 Please consider attending the Eggs and Issues forum for the Bremerton mayoral position, to be held at the Cloverleaf in E. Bremerton at 0730.  We need citizens to bring up the issue of homelessness, see what the candidates know, if they have any plans. Ask them to promise to provide some funding towards a winter shelter, open every day from October through March. 

 

v 6/09: In May The Salvation Army created the Kitsap County Homeless Advisory Board. They both reviewed and produced the first “Homeless In Kitsap” bi-monthly newsletter. I’m trying to remember how to link it up to this Website! If you’d like the .pdf email me and I’ll send it to you. It prints out as 4 letter sized pages (or 1 11 x 17). It provides the homeless with info on resources, answers questions, advises and counsels. It was very well received. We hope it helps folks to survive.

 

v  Later in March there will be a meeting to begin organizing the Whole Community—Whole Child Summit through the South Kitsap School District. These are challenging times and Kitsap County as a whole will benefit greatly from this work. If you’re involved with childhood education and would be interested in attending, let me know. You are invited to attend the meeting at East Port Orchard Elementary on March 24, 1—4 pm. Everyone in the community is welcome—this isn’t just for SK students, but all in our county.

 

v Many of us will be gathering on 3/6 to discuss the creation of a community summit. We realize that the services and orgs that support the homeless and low-income are rapidly becoming tapped out (losing funding and staff), are being closed down due to state budget cuts, or  are simply overwhelmed, and we need to plan ahead to see how we can help our neighbors survive these rough times. We met on 3/6 and will be meeting later this month to see how we can go forward and plan for the future.

 

v  1/4/09: Kitsap County opened up it’s first severe weather shelter in December. They will now open routinely when certain criteria are met. If you’d like to volunteer and help keep the shelters open, go to www.kitsapdem.org, click on the New Volunteer button, go down to the bottom of the page and complete the application forms. This is the Dept. of Emergency Management. They are processed almost immediately and we can get you involved.

 

v  11/8/08: For the past two months, folks have been creating hats and scarves for the homeless. There will be a Blessing of the Hats and Scarves service at Our Lord’s Diner on Sunday, Nov. 16th at 3 pm. You’re invited to attend.

 

v  11/8/08: Please see the very first entry below. Pastor Art has many more homeless folks to help and could really use yours.

 

v 10/11/08: Nov. 16-22 is “Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week” in Kitsap Co. Plans are being made to observe this week. Details to follow.

 

v     9/13/08: On 9/11 we had our first summit on homelessness in Kitsap County. As one of the organizers, I can tell you that we were overwhelmed with gratitude at the attendance, participation, and feedback. More to come on this! Right now, we’re gearing up for next January’s “Point In Time Homeless Count.” It takes dozens and dozens of volunteers to make this work, so we can use you in any capacity. Have a couple hours, days or more? Don’t have time but have some funds? Contact me or Terry Schroeder at the Kitsap Continuum of Care Coalition, tschroeder@kcr.org and we’ll hook you up.

v      7/20: Pastor Art’s homeless meals site has changed. It is now at Sylvan Way Baptist Church, 900 Sylvan Way, Bremerton. On Tuesdays and Thursdays it’s at 6:45 p.m., and Sunday, after his service, it’s at 1:30. The numbers are growing exponentially here due to our dire economy (see Sun article on this here). If you can donate to help feed the hungry, send your tax deductible contribution to “Taking It To The Streets Ministries”, P.O. Box 1062, Tracyton, WA 98383. If you’d like to do more, call him at (360) 689-3219. See the list of other things they need at the bottom of this page.   

 

v Women 40+ that do not have health insurance can receive a FREE mammogram and pap test, with follow-up medical care, by contacting the Kitsap County Health District at (360) 337-5234.

 

v The Lord’s Neighborhood Diner, located in the basement of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 700 Callahan Drive, Bremerton, 98310, is now scheduled to REOPEN on SATURDAY, MAY 10th!!! This is very, very good news for the low-income and homeless who have come to rely on it for it’s evening meals on Friday and Saturday. Donations are always welcome—and needed! Send your check to the Diner at the church’s address above.

 

v All our local foodbanks, as well as the Salvation Army and local feeding programs,  are gearing up for kids and families for summer. It is especially difficult for them because the kids aren’t receiving free or low-cost lunch at school and it drains the family’s supplies more quickly. PLEASE DONATE FUNDS, THE ITEMS BELOW, AND VEGGIES FROM YOUR GARDEN.

 

Peanut Butter / Jelly / Tuna / Mayo / Cans of fruit / Cans of vegetables / Juice and juice boxes / Cereal / Rice / Canned Soup and Broth / Crackers / Boxed Dinners / Pastas / Box Mac and Cheese

 

v Pastor Art Speight works one-on-one with the homeless in Bremerton, those that live outside in tents and in vehicles. They are always in need of items (see below) that help make their lives safer and bearable. If you can, consider donating to his ministry. You can reach him at (360) 689-3219 or mail a tax-deductible check to: Taking It To The Streets Ministries, P.O. Box 1062, Tracyton, WA, 98393. We have literally hundreds of souls that, for a variety of reasons, find themselves in this situation. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

Bus tokens (to get to doctor, court, mental health appointments) / Prepaid phone cards / Gas cards / White socks of all sizes / Food: Individual size, pop top lid-type of stew, pastas, fruit, juice boxes, dried fruit, small bottles of vitamins.

 

 

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