The Joy of Clean Underwear
By Alice Matisz
Most of us take clean socks and underwear for granted. We have so much that we allocate whole drawers for it. Imagine however, if all your possessions fit into one backpack - a pack that wasn’t too heavy because you had to wear it all day long. Now imagine that you walked all day, most days. You walked through puddles and snow, when it was freezing and when you were sweating. You rarely had safe access to a shower and still less to laundry facilities, even if you had the money or the soap to use them.
This reality is not far off from what street people face. Even those who are couch-surfing (staying with a series of friends) struggle to stay clean and neat. That’s when a new pair of socks or underwear can be more than clothing. It can be a sign that someone cares. It can be the warmth and comfort that prevents illness. It might even be a small personal triumph.
This January parishioners of All Saints and St. Martha’s, led by youth from Arise, Pulse Nation and Little Saints youth groups, donated hundreds of pairs of new socks and underwear for the needy. Once this ‘mountain’ of clothing was sorted and boxed, it was delivered to Streets Alive, Harbour House and Project Connect. All of the recipients expressed surprise at the volume of the donations and gratitude for the thought. Below is additional information about these worthwhile organizations.
Streets Alive has been running for 25 years. This downtown church offers much more than Sunday service and drop-in hospitality. Some of their lesser known services are trusteeships (looking after someone’s money for them), daily sandwiches/snacks for the poorest, transitional housing, foot care, and the P.I.N. (People in Need) bank. All this is offered in a spirit of companionship so that Streets Alive clients come to feel like members of a family.
Last year Streets Alive handed out 400 coats and 7000 pairs of socks. They were glad to get our donation to replenish their stocks.
Harbour House is the name of YWCA’s violence shelter service. The shelter has just 25 beds and is often full. A brochure they provide reads, “Some women and children come to the YWCA with only the clothing on their backs. Your generous donations allow us to provide these women and children with their basic needs.” Harbour House staff were pleased to hear that some of the socks donated were hand knitted!
Project Connect is a free one-day event held at the Fritz Sick Centre twice a year. It is designed to connect street people and other underserved to the services they require. Dozens of agencies, businesses and individuals willingly volunteer their expertise at this trade-fair style event. Some of the many services available are housing referral, crisis counseling, legal and income tax support, health care, and grooming, like haircuts and showers.
Clean clothing is also provided, either for use right then, or taken away for later. The last time I volunteered with Project Connect, I was delighted to see several recently ‘tidied-up’ individuals opting to have professional photographs taken of themselves and with their street friends. They all got high quality printouts to keep.
This reality is not far off from what street people face. Even those who are couch-surfing (staying with a series of friends) struggle to stay clean and neat. That’s when a new pair of socks or underwear can be more than clothing. It can be a sign that someone cares. It can be the warmth and comfort that prevents illness. It might even be a small personal triumph.
This January parishioners of All Saints and St. Martha’s, led by youth from Arise, Pulse Nation and Little Saints youth groups, donated hundreds of pairs of new socks and underwear for the needy. Once this ‘mountain’ of clothing was sorted and boxed, it was delivered to Streets Alive, Harbour House and Project Connect. All of the recipients expressed surprise at the volume of the donations and gratitude for the thought. Below is additional information about these worthwhile organizations.
Streets Alive has been running for 25 years. This downtown church offers much more than Sunday service and drop-in hospitality. Some of their lesser known services are trusteeships (looking after someone’s money for them), daily sandwiches/snacks for the poorest, transitional housing, foot care, and the P.I.N. (People in Need) bank. All this is offered in a spirit of companionship so that Streets Alive clients come to feel like members of a family.
Last year Streets Alive handed out 400 coats and 7000 pairs of socks. They were glad to get our donation to replenish their stocks.
Harbour House is the name of YWCA’s violence shelter service. The shelter has just 25 beds and is often full. A brochure they provide reads, “Some women and children come to the YWCA with only the clothing on their backs. Your generous donations allow us to provide these women and children with their basic needs.” Harbour House staff were pleased to hear that some of the socks donated were hand knitted!
Project Connect is a free one-day event held at the Fritz Sick Centre twice a year. It is designed to connect street people and other underserved to the services they require. Dozens of agencies, businesses and individuals willingly volunteer their expertise at this trade-fair style event. Some of the many services available are housing referral, crisis counseling, legal and income tax support, health care, and grooming, like haircuts and showers.
Clean clothing is also provided, either for use right then, or taken away for later. The last time I volunteered with Project Connect, I was delighted to see several recently ‘tidied-up’ individuals opting to have professional photographs taken of themselves and with their street friends. They all got high quality printouts to keep.
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