On Thanksgiving Sunday, Patrick, an unhoused neighbor of ours was found killed on our doorstep. Many of us were not only heartbroken at the situation, but also carry guilt over not having the resources to help this gentlemen long before this occurred. We know that we could only do what was in our power, which was not much, but it doesn't have to be this way. This horrible incident has awakened our souls to the fact that we can no longer be silent and complacent on the issue of homelessness. It is dangerous and inhumane to sit back while people are on the street without the safety of shelter. The only way to move forward is to turn this situation into something positive. So what is a good first step?
On January 9th after the church service we will be meeting with Dionne Carter, the new Executive Director of the organization Vallejo Together, to discuss options for us to become more involved in helping our unhoused community. Vallejo Together's mission is to foster change, awaken hope and offer opportunities to neighbors and families impacted by homelessness and related crises. They fulfill this mission by bringing together and collaborating with community members, leaders and organizations to provide vital services and solutions.
We met with Dionne a couple weeks ago and found out about some dynamic projects they are working on. There are several ways we might be able to help. There is volunteering with one of the local shelters or food distributors. There is an Interfaith Council being formed between area churches in an effort to support each other. There are training sessions available to learn about who our homeless population is, and how to interact humanely with them. Vallejo Together will also be working on long term solutions on finding stable affordable living situations for the homeless community. Common Ground has been attending meetings regarding this as well. There is a real energy in Vallejo Together right now, and we should not let it pass us by.
