I learned so much about my Austin neighbors while volunteering for Mobile Loaves & Fishes. (I stan Alan Graham, kind of amazed at the man, frankly). On my shifts, not necessarily representative of the entire community, there were ALWAYS several memorable categories of persons who genuinely seemed appreciative of a decent brown-bag meal. (Hunger will make everyone grateful for food in the moment.) Not mutually exclusive categories, for sure (intersectionality is real): Runaway "kids" (or foster care age-outs), often surprisingly adept and well-travelled; persons with mental illnesses, obvious and otherwise, some in active treatment, a few even a little frightening; persons clearly suffering from substance abuse disorders; recent immigrants (mostly young men who worked hard outdoors all day and in all weather and shared a roof or camp at night in large groups, they always asked for work clothes, which MLF trucks sometimes also had available). So many different people, so many ways to be without a fixed home within one of the richest societies in human history.
Spike, I like having a mental picture of you taking deep breaths in toleration of the Central Presbys, they are good peeps downtown. "Neighbor" means something to them: to be one is not about mere proximity, but to show mercy. Basic food for hungry peeps is about as basic as mercy gets. And they do what they do not because there is a judgey/abusive grandpa up in the sky, but because they know Love is the only way to survive/thrive right here on Third Rock. (Many atheists I know can make common cause with Jesus of Nazareth on that, no problemo.)
Did you see the huge piece about Alan Graham in NYT a couple of weeks ago? When I observe what he’s done I wish I had the energy, connections and drive to turn my own thirty acres into something like what he’s built. I volunteered again today. I continue to be grateful at the lack of proselytizing. Even the prayers that are offered are practical and straightforward and could very easily be translated into a Buddhist version. It was super rowdy today—a fight, a medical emergency and I got to practice “my Spanish” which amounts to maybe 30 words, not all of which I know how to put together to form sentences. And then, when I was done, I came out to find a fellow COA employee giving me a parking ticket despite my COA parking tag. Oh well. Win some. Lose some.
I somehow missed the NYT piece on AG, I'll have to look that up! I think his Community First! vision is brilliant and beautiful. Then again, I saw Louis CK on the TV somewhere today and remembered, as I flipped the channel, no more idolizing talented dudes. But "ye shall know them by their fruits" is evergreen advice.
Sounds like a tough day, thanks for hanging in. Un Dia A La Vez, querida jefa.
Thanks...the scale of the expansion boggles me a bit. I've been out there a couple of times, and my major impression was that it's a healthy place. (I'd live there!) It's huge that there are so many services right on site.
I also wish that Austin were the kind of place where this could be done within city limits. (Those days are gone.)
When I lived in Seattle I volunteered for a group called 'Heroes for the Homeless'. Most of our clients lived under Interstate 5. The majority of folks I met were very friendly and appreciative of our services; however, there were those who, ironically, threatened us with violence for trespassing.
I learned so much about my Austin neighbors while volunteering for Mobile Loaves & Fishes. (I stan Alan Graham, kind of amazed at the man, frankly). On my shifts, not necessarily representative of the entire community, there were ALWAYS several memorable categories of persons who genuinely seemed appreciative of a decent brown-bag meal. (Hunger will make everyone grateful for food in the moment.) Not mutually exclusive categories, for sure (intersectionality is real): Runaway "kids" (or foster care age-outs), often surprisingly adept and well-travelled; persons with mental illnesses, obvious and otherwise, some in active treatment, a few even a little frightening; persons clearly suffering from substance abuse disorders; recent immigrants (mostly young men who worked hard outdoors all day and in all weather and shared a roof or camp at night in large groups, they always asked for work clothes, which MLF trucks sometimes also had available). So many different people, so many ways to be without a fixed home within one of the richest societies in human history.
Spike, I like having a mental picture of you taking deep breaths in toleration of the Central Presbys, they are good peeps downtown. "Neighbor" means something to them: to be one is not about mere proximity, but to show mercy. Basic food for hungry peeps is about as basic as mercy gets. And they do what they do not because there is a judgey/abusive grandpa up in the sky, but because they know Love is the only way to survive/thrive right here on Third Rock. (Many atheists I know can make common cause with Jesus of Nazareth on that, no problemo.)
I miss being in Downtown Austin, enjoy!
I don't miss having to drive there. :)
Did you see the huge piece about Alan Graham in NYT a couple of weeks ago? When I observe what he’s done I wish I had the energy, connections and drive to turn my own thirty acres into something like what he’s built. I volunteered again today. I continue to be grateful at the lack of proselytizing. Even the prayers that are offered are practical and straightforward and could very easily be translated into a Buddhist version. It was super rowdy today—a fight, a medical emergency and I got to practice “my Spanish” which amounts to maybe 30 words, not all of which I know how to put together to form sentences. And then, when I was done, I came out to find a fellow COA employee giving me a parking ticket despite my COA parking tag. Oh well. Win some. Lose some.
I somehow missed the NYT piece on AG, I'll have to look that up! I think his Community First! vision is brilliant and beautiful. Then again, I saw Louis CK on the TV somewhere today and remembered, as I flipped the channel, no more idolizing talented dudes. But "ye shall know them by their fruits" is evergreen advice.
Sounds like a tough day, thanks for hanging in. Un Dia A La Vez, querida jefa.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/headway/homelessness-tiny-home-austin.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SU0.Zn9C.rqvG5RifCp1q&bgrp=c&smid=url-share
Thanks...the scale of the expansion boggles me a bit. I've been out there a couple of times, and my major impression was that it's a healthy place. (I'd live there!) It's huge that there are so many services right on site.
I also wish that Austin were the kind of place where this could be done within city limits. (Those days are gone.)
When I lived in Seattle I volunteered for a group called 'Heroes for the Homeless'. Most of our clients lived under Interstate 5. The majority of folks I met were very friendly and appreciative of our services; however, there were those who, ironically, threatened us with violence for trespassing.