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Every year religious organizations in Contra Costa County band together to provide shelter and warm meals to homeless families and senior citizens. They are our guests. This year, St. Anselm's partnered with Lafayette Christian Church and Lafayette Methodist Church for Winter Nights. Our parish was the host for the first week and the other two churches took turns as hosts for the second week. Let me share with you what a day in the life of a typical guest is like. The names have been changed to maintain their privacy: Nathan is in 7th grade. He arrives at the shelter at 5:00 pm with his mother and his sisters, Barbara (9th grade) and little sister Sara (grade K). There is homework to do. The Winter Nights organization has arranged to have two homework helpers at St. Anselm’s each night. Nathan and his sister are struggling readers and the homework helpers provide assistance. Both are able to complete their homework assignments for the evening. Healthy snacks are provided by St. Anselm’s volunteers to hold them over until a hearty dinner is prepared and served. In the meantime, Steven's mother is able to enjoy some quiet time in the church library while other volunteers from St. Anselm’s keep Nathan's little sister Sara engaged doing letter puzzles in the parish hall. Steven's mother has spent the whole day driving to Palo Alto for medical appointments for his little sister, on the phone with the insurance company to ensure that little Sara gets the much needed medicine for her heart condition, and she spends what is left in her day looking for a job. Dinner is served by a group of volunteers. Nathan enjoys the warm food and conversations with the volunteers and other guests. He likes to talk about his upcoming wrestling meets. He's not the strongest on his team, but he is quick which is why he typically wins at least one match. Lunches need to be made. Nathan and his sister prepare bag lunches for his family. He makes sure there are grapes in the bag lunch for his little sister Sara and an extra sandwich for him since he won't have any place to get food until he returns to the shelter at 5:00 p.m. (wrestlers get extra hungry). Lights are out at 8:30 pm. Nathan and his family share a tent in Jackson Hall. It's way more comfortable than the car they have called their home for the past month. There are crying babies in the next tent over, but by 9:00 p.m. even the baby is asleep. Nathan enjoys a good night’s rest, sleeping next to his sisters and his mother. Lights are on at 5:45 a.m. Nathan can smell the coffee brewing from the kitchen and there are volunteers in the kitchen getting breakfast cereals, bagels, and other yummy foods ready. Nathan and his family must have breakfast and be out by 7:00 a.m. Nathan is back in his school, a ‘normal’ 7th grader by 8:30 a.m. It takes a tremendous amount of volunteers to support people like Nathan. This year, our guests ranged from age four days to 89 years old and we had over 36 guests. We cannot thank the volunteers enough for their support. I apologize in advance if I leave anyone out. John McGraw, Anne Brown, Boy Scout Troop 243, Peggy Matson's GS troop, Sally Fischer, Doug Merrill, The Powers-Mulkey Family, Naomi Chamberlain-Harris, Barbara Thornton, Sara & Al Swimmer, Art and Gail Clarke, Sue Olson's GS troop, Ina Merrill, Joan and Eva Toney, Laura Ho, John & Kate Sutton, Jack & Pam Carey, Cathy and Kelsey Witkay, Edward & Caroline Huddart, Shelia Gorsuch, Jill Schon, Betty Frangoulis, Matt Gibson, Susan and Katherine Barnes and Vicki Pappas.
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