Food For Thought

I found this Washington Post article extremely interesting.  Please click through to be informed of all the details, but to save time, I will list the five myths for you:

1.  Homelessness is usually a long-term condition.

2.  Most of the homeless have severe mental illness.

3.  Homeless people don’t work.

4.  Shelters are a humane solution to homelessness.

5.  These poor you will always have with you.

How do you feel about these comments?  Does this change your opinion of the unhoused?  Do you think they’re true or false statements?  Why or why not?  We’re interested in your feedback.  Please sign in below and leave your $0.02 for us.

Two weekends ago, we said goodbye to one of our friends downtown, Dennie Rush.

It is a sad reality that many unhoused individuals die alone, and their death goes unnoticed.  In fact, this issue is so pervasive that each year, a Homeless Persons Memorial Service is held to recognize all those who have passed.

This reality has weighed heavily on us at Food For Thought.  Upon notice of our most recent losses – Dennie Rush died two weeks ago, and a dear friend, Curtis Streeter, died this past Sunday – we decided we wanted to have a special way in which our volunteers and friends downtown could recognize the life of our friend, and say goodbye.  We came up with the idea of a balloon release, and put this idea in motion this past Saturday.  It was a wonderful way to say goodbye, and many of our friends downtown – some with tears in their eyes – thanked us for taking the time to make this gesture.

Dennie Rush grew up in Tiffin, was a Vietnam Vet, and liked to play the guitar.  He lived at Cherry Street Mission for 4 years before passing on February 24, 2010.  Dennie is remembered in more detail by friends and family in an obituary published in the April issue (out now) of Toledo Streets Newspaper, a paper focused on issues surrounding homelessness.  We are very pleased that Toledo Streets has decided to start publishing obituaries for the unhoused, a written honor that often eludes them.

A viewing, funeral, and luncheon will be held for Curtis Streeter at New Harvest Christian Church, 3540 Seaman Road in Oregon, starting at 10am on Thursday March 18th.  All are invited to remember Curtis.  A memorial service will be held for Dennie also this Thursday, from 2pm to 4pm at St. Patrick Church on Avondale.

More information and remembrance on Curtis will appear in his obituary in Toledo Streets in May.

To Dennie, Curtis and our other friends who have gone before him:  Thank you for being a blessing to us while you were with us.

The harsh, bitter cold has hit Northwest Ohio.

Many of us only have to deal with the chilled-to-the-bone feeling briefly – while we walk from our cars to a building, shovel snow off our driveways, or wait outside school to pick up our children.  But for many, the chilled-to-the-bone feeling is a long term or permanent one, as they battle the cold, fighting for survival on the streets.

We want to help provide some tools for survival…and we could use your help.  Food For Thought is putting together “Survival Backpacks” which we will give away in January to our friends on the street.  Each backpack will contain a blanket and some winter wear items.

We are currently collecting:

• Backpacks
• Blankets
• Hats
• Scarves
• Gloves

If you are able to donate any of these items, please call our office at 419.972.1338, or drop them off at our office, located inside New Harvest Christian Church, at 3540 Seaman Road.  Please consider helping us keep someone warm this winter.