Ketchup and Other Things We Take For Granted

After my experience with 100 Homes, I decided to get more involved in the effort to end homelessness in Arlington County. My first stop was A-SPAN where I signed up to help at the County's Emergency Winter Shelter one morning and one evening shift per month. I plan to share my experiences here, both to encourage everyone to give back in some way, and to have something to reflect on as my perspective changes over the next few months.

My first shift was opening night -- Tuesday, November 1st -- from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. I showed up a little early to sign in and get a "Volunteer" nametag. As soon as I walked in the door, I was greeted by Kathy Sibert, Sarah Morse, and dozens of boxes of bagels left over from the Marine Corps Marathon. It looked like the entire A-SPAN staff was working that evening and the energy level was really high.

My task for the evening was to set up in the kitchen and help serve food with a fellow 100 Homes volunteer. When we were setting up, Sarah showed us all of the supplies needed for the evening. There were plates, silverware, sugar packets, cups, and coffee packets galore. But where were the condiments? What about ketchup, mustard, and the ever-popular hot sauce? This was my first lesson -- the shelter has what it is given, not what we come to expect in our own homes. I promptly resolved to purchase some ketchup or hot sauce to bring with me on my next visit to EWS.  

The food, prepared and delivered by the DC Central Kitchen, was well-received. On the menu was a macaroni casserole with meatballs, steamed veggies, and cupcakes donated by Bayou Bakery. At the volunteer orientation a few weeks earlier, we had been told to serve a generous portion to everyone who came through, but that we should wait a while before giving out seconds. My second lesson was that it's hard to say no when a homeless person comes back for more before it's time. The lines moved quickly and EWS wasn’t anywhere near capacity, so we just kept giving out more food. As the weather grows increasingly cold and more people show up, this solution may not work. How do you say no to someone who has so little?

As people were going through the line, I was surprised that a few said "thank you for volunteering." This caught me off guard and I am still having trouble figuring out why.  Perhaps it is because volunteers are most often thanked by the organization or the volunteer manager, but not always on-the-spot by those directly impacted by the volunteering. Or perhaps it is because I believe that EWS clients have an expectation of food and shelter, and not an appreciation of those things, when it's possible to have some of both.

My final lesson came the following day when I was heading towards I-66 for a meeting. As I sat at the stoplight on Glebe Road waiting to turn left, a homeless man about 20 feet ahead in the median caught my eye. "Don't look at him. He wants money," was my first thought. Then, "I recognize him. He was there last night." Then, "Still don't look at him because you don't want to give him money, even though you want to help him." And, after all of that and all of my work and volunteer time striving to help the homeless, give them a voice, and make sure they do not feel invisible, I felt like I was back where I started. The lesson in all of this: do what you can, when you can, but don't forget how far you've come.

Next up is an early morning shift a few days before Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to it!