PLEASE MEET JAMES:
I'm sorry you've been homeless for over 40 years.
I'm sorry you've never had the opportunity to learn to read.
I'm sorry you've never received government benefits even though you've lived without basic needs met nearly all of your life.
I'm sorry that there are those that have treated you unkindly through misunderstandings and fear.
I'm sorry you blacked out while panhandling on the street corner in the Montlake neighborhood.
I'm sorry you've been in the hospital now for over two weeks hoping multiple organs will heal.
I'm grateful for the care given at the UW Medical Center.
I'm grateful to have been included in the phone call to your sister, hearing you say how much you love her and the need for her to pray for you.
I'm grateful for those that have reached across the divide to give you kindness on your street corner home.
I'm grateful for all those that have mailed you birthday cards to our office over the years for you, knowing how happy it made you.
I'm grateful for Blair Jordan who is your dear friend and is helping you navigate towards supportive housing.
I'm grateful to your street friend Michael who has your back.
I'm tremendously grateful to be your friend James, you have deep kindness in your eyes.
On May 20, 2019 we asked this community to raise $500 for food for James. A total of $4,487.57 was raised! Since then we've been giving James $100 Safeway food-gift-cards every Sunday, making a profound difference for him. We still have roughly three months of food-gift-cards to give.
We are now hoping to raise another $500 as an emergency fund for when he gets out of the hospital. This will be used for clothing, a tent, sleeping bag, and other essential needs.
UPDATE: The Paypal link has been pulled in that the goal or raising $500 has been met with $1,687.11 donated, wowWOW!! All funds will be used to help purchase essential needs for James. No funds will go directly to James in the form of cash or check and as is always the case, no funds go to Facing Homelessness. A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone that reached out with LOVE and support!
A bigBIG LOVE to you James, we are grateful to have you as an important part of this community!
Montlake Neighborhood | Rex
A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/ and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#Kindness #JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness
