Made burritos with rice, chorizo, corn, beans, cheese & salsa for the Homeless this weekend. They are always popular & I've made a lot this time, so it looks like I will be going back to the parks on Monday & maybe even on Tuesday this coming week. :) Yeay !! :)
As of yesterday together we have fed 903 people. :) This number just amazes me. After this coming Monday & Tuesday we will be very close to 1000 people. :o
Thank you Maggie & Brian for donating a lot of the food for next weekends meals & for donating a lot of odds & ends, so to speak !! Three different men got socks each & were really happy to have them. The backpack went to a Tohono O'odham Indian homeless woman, who was excited to have one of her own now. Many of the cloth bags went to the other people in the two parks. And I found two people needing laundry soap who were grateful to receive what you donated. The blanket I will hang onto for now until it gets colder again. I have my ears open for the people who need pillows. Brian's shoes also found some happy feet yesterday. :)
Thank you Mary Helen for another donation for the Homeless Food Fund !! You are soooo appreciated & I soooo appreciate you being a true constant in this wonderful adventure !! :)
Also a great big thank you goes to Mike & Eric for donating books, which are always welcome. :) The novels & "who done it" books are always really popular with the homeless. I take the books with me every week & little by little they all are getting taken.
Thank you dear Vicky for helping with the Food Fund !! :) You are awesome, especially since you are a single Mom of three !! I Love You lots my Spirit Daughter. :)
Yesterday I spoke on the phone with one of the wholesale suppliers of my store. Kathy makes truly inspirational key tags & she suggested that I listen to a song called "Moments" by the group Emerson Drive. She said that it was about a homeless man & that the song makes her cry every time she listens to it. I went onto the Emerson Drive website, listened to the song & ended up crying too. It is so touching & so true for many of the people that live in the parks. It will touch your Hearts too. :)
Thank you also to everyone in the parks for being my friends & for being my protectors when needed, which is not very often. I get an adverse person on an average of about once a month. I feel that I am protected from what I call "Upstairs" & I have a lot of Faith in that. :) Faith is so important in these times we live in & it will help carry us through, along with us all pulling together & helping each other. :) I hope that this blog will inspire you & I pray that it all will ripple out to get bigger & bigger & all over this country.
More in a few days ........................
Feeding the Homeless People in the City Parks of Tucson, Arizona.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Potato Salad with Ham
Happy Father's Day to all you wonderful Dad's out there !! :)
More good news to report, which always is fun to do. :)
On 5-8-10 I shared with you about "Big" who lives in this old Cadillac in the parking lot of one of the Parks I go to. I was told last weekend that his family helped him out & he now lives in a very small, air-conditioned place (something like a studio apartment) & is no longer Homeless. :) I was so happy to hear that & to realize that he can now put up his legs & has cool air surrounding him. "Big", if you recall, has Edema & his legs & feet were so swollen that he couldn't fit into any shoes.
Last weekend I fed 58 people & this Saturday another 31. The total fed so far is 850 in 5 months. :) I am going back tomorrow with two pots of potato salad with some really delicious spiral-cut ham chunks & lots of pickles & eggs in it too. That ham is really wonderful, I found it at CostCo & got a good deal on it with a discount coupon they sent out this month. :)
I would like to send a great big Thank You out to Irina for her kind donation to the Homeless Food Fund !! :) It came in the nick of time. I was down to $2.89 when I got your donation & was wondering what am I going to cook from that amount this next weekend. May you always be blessed Irina & may Sundance give you all the Blessings you soooo deserve !! :) I am glad that we are becoming friends !!
Much thanks also goes to T-bird, who donated $8.00 to the gasoline fund, which is also always very much needed. I go through a lot of gas going to the Parks & shopping for the food & now water too. :) It all adds up & it all helps lots. :)
Speaking of water .... the Homeless People are so grateful for the cold water I bring now every time. :) It is very hot & dry here these days & will stay so for quite a while to come. Thank You again dearest Angel Laurel for helping out in that way !! :)
I would like to mention to everyone who reads my Blog, to please feel free & pass it on to everyone you know. :) It would so wonderful to have many people reading it & maybe even give me feed-back, or share their experiences with me. I feel we all are together in this & we need each others support. Makes life so much easier & fun that way. :) I would love to see comments sent to me directly to my Blog. Most of you have sent them to me to my email address. So please "pass this forward". :)
Thank You !!
More good news to report, which always is fun to do. :)
On 5-8-10 I shared with you about "Big" who lives in this old Cadillac in the parking lot of one of the Parks I go to. I was told last weekend that his family helped him out & he now lives in a very small, air-conditioned place (something like a studio apartment) & is no longer Homeless. :) I was so happy to hear that & to realize that he can now put up his legs & has cool air surrounding him. "Big", if you recall, has Edema & his legs & feet were so swollen that he couldn't fit into any shoes.
Last weekend I fed 58 people & this Saturday another 31. The total fed so far is 850 in 5 months. :) I am going back tomorrow with two pots of potato salad with some really delicious spiral-cut ham chunks & lots of pickles & eggs in it too. That ham is really wonderful, I found it at CostCo & got a good deal on it with a discount coupon they sent out this month. :)
I would like to send a great big Thank You out to Irina for her kind donation to the Homeless Food Fund !! :) It came in the nick of time. I was down to $2.89 when I got your donation & was wondering what am I going to cook from that amount this next weekend. May you always be blessed Irina & may Sundance give you all the Blessings you soooo deserve !! :) I am glad that we are becoming friends !!
Much thanks also goes to T-bird, who donated $8.00 to the gasoline fund, which is also always very much needed. I go through a lot of gas going to the Parks & shopping for the food & now water too. :) It all adds up & it all helps lots. :)
Speaking of water .... the Homeless People are so grateful for the cold water I bring now every time. :) It is very hot & dry here these days & will stay so for quite a while to come. Thank You again dearest Angel Laurel for helping out in that way !! :)
I would like to mention to everyone who reads my Blog, to please feel free & pass it on to everyone you know. :) It would so wonderful to have many people reading it & maybe even give me feed-back, or share their experiences with me. I feel we all are together in this & we need each others support. Makes life so much easier & fun that way. :) I would love to see comments sent to me directly to my Blog. Most of you have sent them to me to my email address. So please "pass this forward". :)
Thank You !!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Water
Today another prayer was answered. :) Thank you Creator & thank you my dearest Laurel !!
Every time I feed the Homeless people I get asked if I have anything to drink & every time this happens it breaks my heart when I have to say "no, it isn't in the budget yet". Right now our temperatures here are between 104 & 109 degrees & the body needs lots of water to sustain itself in this heat.
My dear friend Laurel from Oregon (& Arizona) called this evening & during the conversation she asks me if the Homeless are getting enough water to drink. I shared with her that I couldn't afford it at this point (see my blog from 5-31-10), so my sweet Laurel committed to providing bottled water with each meal every time from now on. :)
Laurel, thank you for your beautiful & caring Heart & for being soooo supportive of this !! :) And thank you for being a "Hollow Little Bone for Creator to work through" (to quote the Lakota Holy Man Fools Crow) by listening to His guidance !! :) I Love You So !!
Every time I feed the Homeless people I get asked if I have anything to drink & every time this happens it breaks my heart when I have to say "no, it isn't in the budget yet". Right now our temperatures here are between 104 & 109 degrees & the body needs lots of water to sustain itself in this heat.
My dear friend Laurel from Oregon (& Arizona) called this evening & during the conversation she asks me if the Homeless are getting enough water to drink. I shared with her that I couldn't afford it at this point (see my blog from 5-31-10), so my sweet Laurel committed to providing bottled water with each meal every time from now on. :)
Laurel, thank you for your beautiful & caring Heart & for being soooo supportive of this !! :) And thank you for being a "Hollow Little Bone for Creator to work through" (to quote the Lakota Holy Man Fools Crow) by listening to His guidance !! :) I Love You So !!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Christmas in June
"Christmas in June!!!" Mary & Gale of Four Winds Trading Co. wrote on a packing list, which included a huge stack of children's books that came in the mail today & are for me to give to needy & Native American children. :) What a surprise that was & it put a big smile on my face & then tears of joy. :) Mary & Gale helped me out last Christmas too with lots of books for the Native American children & families I made Christmas for the fifth year in a row.
Thank you so very, very much you two Dear Ones !! :) Your surprise really worked. Christmas in June is awesome !! :)
And thank you so much once more my very kind neighbors Dave & Linda for donating most of the food today for this coming weekends meals !! :) I don't know what I would do without you !! It is wonderful that I can always rely on you to be there for this !! :)
Thank you so very, very much you two Dear Ones !! :) Your surprise really worked. Christmas in June is awesome !! :)
And thank you so much once more my very kind neighbors Dave & Linda for donating most of the food today for this coming weekends meals !! :) I don't know what I would do without you !! It is wonderful that I can always rely on you to be there for this !! :)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Gazpacho Soup & French Bread
It has been a very emotional week so far & I haven't felt much like blogging. Much happened though & I need to catch up before I fall too far behind.
On Monday, while feeding the Homeless, I found out that Mike, who was in his late 50ies & one of my homeless people, had died last Saturday. Mike wasn't really homeless, but then again he was, temporarily anyway. I told him that I would feed him anyway. :) He lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, he told me, but being a Veteran & having heart problems, the V.A. there had sent him to Tucson's V.A. Hospital for treatment. Mike liked it in Tucson & told me that he needed to make a decision about moving here or about going back to Las Cruces. So in the meantime he was homeless here. I don't know the details yet about what caused his death, I just know that it had to do with his heart. Christopher was crying so hard when he told me that I couldn't ask him about what had happened. Hopefully I will find out more this Saturday. Mike was always kind & respectful with me. He was all the way around a nice man & always smiling or ready with a joke. I have been grieving his crossing over, along with Mike's homeless friends that always "hung out" with him.
Mike, have fun on the "Other Side" & please watch over Christopher & "Big Mouth" :) too. We miss you !!
The cold Gazpacho Soup was a success & some people would have liked some shrimp in it, but that is too much of a luxury on this small budget. Deanna, who is temporarily homeless, came home with me on Friday afternoon & together we chopped & diced at least 60 lbs. of vegetables on Friday & Saturday. I was very grateful for Deanna being here overnight to help me with the prep-work !! I had enough soup for both Saturday & again Monday. And Deanna donated five loaves of very, very fresh French bread to go with the soup, which made it more filling. :) Thank you, Deanna, for helping out much. :)
James, the very kind prisoner from Indiana I blogged about before, sent another $5.00 donation check for the Homeless Food Fund for June & he decided to send $5.00 every month hereafter. He wrote to me that the men there only make 12 cents an hour working. James is going to college in prison & he gets paid only $10.00 per month, but he wants to send $5.00 to help out. That made me cry once more. And James is trying to get his Buddy there to help out too. The Kindness of people all around is so incredible & my Gratitude is more than mere words can ever express.
Denise from Florida sent a second huge box of children's books for me to give away. Thank you Denise, you are a big Blessing !! :)
Yesterday I connected with Irina from Ohio through my business, Native Rainbows. She was placing an order for some CDs & we ended up talking on the phone for over two hours. :) Irina is from Europe too & it felt to both of us like we were old friends. :) Irina donated to the Homeless Food Fund too & I was able to buy 13 lbs. of zucchini today for this weekends meals of Chicken-Zucchini Pasta Alfredo, plus a stack of foam plates to serve the food on. They were on sale at 50 plates for $1.00, that's a great deal. :) Thank you soooo much Irina, you are very, very Special !! :)
Irina is thinking of doing a Fundraiser in Ohio with a friend of hers for my "Feeding the Homeless" fund. How wonderful & special would that be ??!! :) It would make things much easier & I could focus more on the cooking.
God is busy working through all of you in different ways to help with this cause. :) Thank you each & every one of you & know that the Blessings will all come back to you manyfold !! :)
On Monday, while feeding the Homeless, I found out that Mike, who was in his late 50ies & one of my homeless people, had died last Saturday. Mike wasn't really homeless, but then again he was, temporarily anyway. I told him that I would feed him anyway. :) He lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, he told me, but being a Veteran & having heart problems, the V.A. there had sent him to Tucson's V.A. Hospital for treatment. Mike liked it in Tucson & told me that he needed to make a decision about moving here or about going back to Las Cruces. So in the meantime he was homeless here. I don't know the details yet about what caused his death, I just know that it had to do with his heart. Christopher was crying so hard when he told me that I couldn't ask him about what had happened. Hopefully I will find out more this Saturday. Mike was always kind & respectful with me. He was all the way around a nice man & always smiling or ready with a joke. I have been grieving his crossing over, along with Mike's homeless friends that always "hung out" with him.
Mike, have fun on the "Other Side" & please watch over Christopher & "Big Mouth" :) too. We miss you !!
The cold Gazpacho Soup was a success & some people would have liked some shrimp in it, but that is too much of a luxury on this small budget. Deanna, who is temporarily homeless, came home with me on Friday afternoon & together we chopped & diced at least 60 lbs. of vegetables on Friday & Saturday. I was very grateful for Deanna being here overnight to help me with the prep-work !! I had enough soup for both Saturday & again Monday. And Deanna donated five loaves of very, very fresh French bread to go with the soup, which made it more filling. :) Thank you, Deanna, for helping out much. :)
James, the very kind prisoner from Indiana I blogged about before, sent another $5.00 donation check for the Homeless Food Fund for June & he decided to send $5.00 every month hereafter. He wrote to me that the men there only make 12 cents an hour working. James is going to college in prison & he gets paid only $10.00 per month, but he wants to send $5.00 to help out. That made me cry once more. And James is trying to get his Buddy there to help out too. The Kindness of people all around is so incredible & my Gratitude is more than mere words can ever express.
Denise from Florida sent a second huge box of children's books for me to give away. Thank you Denise, you are a big Blessing !! :)
Yesterday I connected with Irina from Ohio through my business, Native Rainbows. She was placing an order for some CDs & we ended up talking on the phone for over two hours. :) Irina is from Europe too & it felt to both of us like we were old friends. :) Irina donated to the Homeless Food Fund too & I was able to buy 13 lbs. of zucchini today for this weekends meals of Chicken-Zucchini Pasta Alfredo, plus a stack of foam plates to serve the food on. They were on sale at 50 plates for $1.00, that's a great deal. :) Thank you soooo much Irina, you are very, very Special !! :)
Irina is thinking of doing a Fundraiser in Ohio with a friend of hers for my "Feeding the Homeless" fund. How wonderful & special would that be ??!! :) It would make things much easier & I could focus more on the cooking.
God is busy working through all of you in different ways to help with this cause. :) Thank you each & every one of you & know that the Blessings will all come back to you manyfold !! :)
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tucson Appliance Co. :) & Food Bank Experience :(
This has been a day of highs & lows for me, including many tears of Joy at the end !! :)
It all began with my trip to the Food Bank this afternoon in hopes of picking up a bunch of fresh vegetables for this weekends cold Gazpacho Soup for the Homeless. What a disappointment that was !! :( I was told that I need a Non-Profit License in order to get food for feeding any Homeless, or to bring each one in. I was able to get a food box for myself though, which I will pass on to the people in the Parks this weekend. This I can get only once per month I was informed & that at this point the Food Bank didn't have any fresh vegetables, only bread & frozen sausage patties. As I got ready to leave a man came with a number of boxes filled with tomatoes & I received one of the boxes. :) It is the main ingredient in the Gazpacho Soup, so I felt really blessed & supported from "Up Above". :)
I did leave the Food Bank totally disappointed & disillusioned though. What if any families, especially with young children, need food more often than once a month ?? It just doesn't make sense to me.
Here comes the "tears of joy" story. After the Food Bank I went to meet Chris at the TUCSON APPLIANCE CO. My friends & people I know have told me during the last few days about what a nice man he is & how kind he is & they all were right. :) When we met we hugged right away & I felt like I had known Chris for a long time already. In a way I had, since Chris acts in his own commercials on TV. He seems to have a lot of fun doing it. :) Chris led me over to a refrigerator/freezer to find out if it would be big enough & by then I was crying happy & very emotional tears. And I don't cry easily, but Chris touched me so deeply with his generosity & kindness, that I couldn't hold the tears back. He also wanted to know if I had someone to pick it up for me & he then just decided to have it delivered to my home tomorrow. More tears of joy !! What can I say. :)
And more hugs of Gratitude !! :)
Chris told the salesman, John Byrd, who wrote everything up for the delivery tomorrow, that I feed the Homeless & that the fridge was a donation. So John reached into his pocket & gave me $10.00 for food & he encouraged a co-worker to chip in too, who then gave me $4.00. John said that he will continue to support me with "Feeding the Homeless". :) He feels that it is better to give to where all the money will be used for the actual cause & not part of it for administration costs.
Thank you soooo much Chris, John & your anonymous Co-worker !! :) I will encourage everyone I know to support your business & pray that all your Kindness will return to you in many, many ways !! :) You so touched me today with your Caring !! :)
It all began with my trip to the Food Bank this afternoon in hopes of picking up a bunch of fresh vegetables for this weekends cold Gazpacho Soup for the Homeless. What a disappointment that was !! :( I was told that I need a Non-Profit License in order to get food for feeding any Homeless, or to bring each one in. I was able to get a food box for myself though, which I will pass on to the people in the Parks this weekend. This I can get only once per month I was informed & that at this point the Food Bank didn't have any fresh vegetables, only bread & frozen sausage patties. As I got ready to leave a man came with a number of boxes filled with tomatoes & I received one of the boxes. :) It is the main ingredient in the Gazpacho Soup, so I felt really blessed & supported from "Up Above". :)
I did leave the Food Bank totally disappointed & disillusioned though. What if any families, especially with young children, need food more often than once a month ?? It just doesn't make sense to me.
Here comes the "tears of joy" story. After the Food Bank I went to meet Chris at the TUCSON APPLIANCE CO. My friends & people I know have told me during the last few days about what a nice man he is & how kind he is & they all were right. :) When we met we hugged right away & I felt like I had known Chris for a long time already. In a way I had, since Chris acts in his own commercials on TV. He seems to have a lot of fun doing it. :) Chris led me over to a refrigerator/freezer to find out if it would be big enough & by then I was crying happy & very emotional tears. And I don't cry easily, but Chris touched me so deeply with his generosity & kindness, that I couldn't hold the tears back. He also wanted to know if I had someone to pick it up for me & he then just decided to have it delivered to my home tomorrow. More tears of joy !! What can I say. :)
And more hugs of Gratitude !! :)
Chris told the salesman, John Byrd, who wrote everything up for the delivery tomorrow, that I feed the Homeless & that the fridge was a donation. So John reached into his pocket & gave me $10.00 for food & he encouraged a co-worker to chip in too, who then gave me $4.00. John said that he will continue to support me with "Feeding the Homeless". :) He feels that it is better to give to where all the money will be used for the actual cause & not part of it for administration costs.
Thank you soooo much Chris, John & your anonymous Co-worker !! :) I will encourage everyone I know to support your business & pray that all your Kindness will return to you in many, many ways !! :) You so touched me today with your Caring !! :)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Thank You !!
Thank you Rachel & Mike for helping out with your check for the June meals !! :) I soooo appreciate you & Love You lots !! Enjoy your vacation & your family !! :)
Tuna & Pasta Salad
Thank you Lizzy for your kind donation to help with the food once more. :) You continually amaze me with your on-going support of my Feeding the Homeless & all the miscellaneous items you bring over to help with it all. :) Also, thank you for stirring & mixing up all that Pasta Tuna Salad today, my wrists are very grateful to you too. ;) Many Blessings to you & your Lil' Naomi always !!
Many of the churches around town had free food for everyone today on Memorial Day, so I only fed 25 people in the different Parks. I am glad that they all got fed somehow, somewhere & are happy. There were concerts at some places around town, along with the free food, so many got entertained too. :) One church opened their doors for four hours to the Homeless this afternoon to watch old war movies & to let the people cool off in an airconditioned room. :) What a great idea !! :)
The temperature today was 98 degrees & it is getting only hotter in Tucson from here on in. I wish I could provide ice cold drinks to the people in the Parks, but at this point that is not in the budget. I truly feel lucky when I get enough money together to buy, cook & take the food to the Homeless. Thank God there are some shade trees in the Parks, but it still is hot outside, even in the shade. I don't know how they will survive the heat of the summer here. Please hold these people in your prayers. Thank You !!
Many of the churches around town had free food for everyone today on Memorial Day, so I only fed 25 people in the different Parks. I am glad that they all got fed somehow, somewhere & are happy. There were concerts at some places around town, along with the free food, so many got entertained too. :) One church opened their doors for four hours to the Homeless this afternoon to watch old war movies & to let the people cool off in an airconditioned room. :) What a great idea !! :)
The temperature today was 98 degrees & it is getting only hotter in Tucson from here on in. I wish I could provide ice cold drinks to the people in the Parks, but at this point that is not in the budget. I truly feel lucky when I get enough money together to buy, cook & take the food to the Homeless. Thank God there are some shade trees in the Parks, but it still is hot outside, even in the shade. I don't know how they will survive the heat of the summer here. Please hold these people in your prayers. Thank You !!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A Fridge for the Homeless Food
What a wonderful day in the neighborhood !! :) (To quote Mister Roger :) ).
The first batch of Tuna Pasta Salad fed 44 (yes 44) people today & with some doctoring up of what is left I can fill the second pot up again to feed more on Monday. I still have some more pasta left I can cook & on the way home this evening I stopped & purchased some more tuna. :) Still need some more mayo now. With today, together we have fed 698 Homeless People !! :) I am sooooooooo happy !! :)
And there was more great news today. :)
This afternoon I called Chris, the owner of "Tucson Appliance Co." & asked if he would help me out with a used refrigerator/freezer for the food for the Homeless. Chris said "YES" :) & for me to come by his store on Wednesday, he wanted to meet me. He told me that it wouldn't be a pretty one, but that doesn't matter to me, as it goes into the garage anyway. It needs to function well & that is important.
Chris also said that I need to pick the fridge up in a truck. So the next thing is to come up with two strong men with a truck. Hmmmmm, at this point I can't think of anyone, but if there are any volunteers here in Tucson, please let me know at 326-2236. :) Help !!!! :)
My next project is to rearrange my garage & figure out where to put the fridge so it is near a plug out there.
Good Night now - it is late here & I'm tired, but really happy !! :) More people have full bellies today, because of all of us !! :)
The first batch of Tuna Pasta Salad fed 44 (yes 44) people today & with some doctoring up of what is left I can fill the second pot up again to feed more on Monday. I still have some more pasta left I can cook & on the way home this evening I stopped & purchased some more tuna. :) Still need some more mayo now. With today, together we have fed 698 Homeless People !! :) I am sooooooooo happy !! :)
And there was more great news today. :)
This afternoon I called Chris, the owner of "Tucson Appliance Co." & asked if he would help me out with a used refrigerator/freezer for the food for the Homeless. Chris said "YES" :) & for me to come by his store on Wednesday, he wanted to meet me. He told me that it wouldn't be a pretty one, but that doesn't matter to me, as it goes into the garage anyway. It needs to function well & that is important.
Chris also said that I need to pick the fridge up in a truck. So the next thing is to come up with two strong men with a truck. Hmmmmm, at this point I can't think of anyone, but if there are any volunteers here in Tucson, please let me know at 326-2236. :) Help !!!! :)
My next project is to rearrange my garage & figure out where to put the fridge so it is near a plug out there.
Good Night now - it is late here & I'm tired, but really happy !! :) More people have full bellies today, because of all of us !! :)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thank You !!
Dave & Linda thank you soooo much for once more providing all the food for this weekends meals !! :)
I don't know what I would do without all your loving help !! I So Love You Two !! You are some of the kindest people that I know & feel blessed by you !! :)
I don't know what I would do without all your loving help !! I So Love You Two !! You are some of the kindest people that I know & feel blessed by you !! :)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Chicken & Pasta Salad
All of last week I was very sick with some sort of stomach "bug". I was utterly nauseous all day & night too. So now it is time to catch up on last weeks happening, which were so plentiful. :)
First of all I would like to thank T-bird for caring so much & filling up my gas tank to the brim. T-bird, this is the first time in a loooooong time that my car had a full belly. :) I so appreciate what you did !!
And my Lizzy donated money for food once more. :) You are awesome my friend, thank you & I Love You !!
Catherine, my special friend in Illinois, sent a donation check last week. Catherine, I know as a single Mom that wasn't easy for you & I am soooo grateful that you are helping me to feed the Homeless People !! :)
Christina & Rich, friends of mine who live in Maine, also sent a wonderful donation check for food. :) Thank you both for your generosity & know that I am doing this for all of us !! Many, many years ago Rich was my boss in Germany for close to two years. He was the best boss I ever had & the most fun to work with. :) Love You Two !!
Mary Helen continues to support this mission & she sent another donation check a few days ago. Thank you dearest Mary Helen for your kind words & your caring & for spreading the word about this with your friends !! :) You are precious to me !!
And I also received a check in the mail from Rachel & Michael, my dear friends in Portland. Thank you both for being you & for your loving support of my cause !! :) I am sending a great big hug to you both of you this way.
These donations are soooo needed. By feeding about 65 people per weekend now the money goes quickly. And there is always a need to buy Styrofoam plates & bowls & plastic silver wear, along with paper towels as napkins. :)
Last weekend I fed 37 people on Saturday & another 28 people on Monday. :) Yeay !! :)
The total fed so far is 654 in 4 months & one week. :) It is growing every week.
It is amazing what can be achieved when caring people pull together to help others !! :) What gifts you all are to me to help out with this !! :) As they say, it takes a village to feed the Homeless. ;) You all inspire me & keep me going with doing this.
Now to toot my horn a little bit. ;) It is not easy to peel & chop 36 hard boiled eggs & shred 6 1/2 lbs. of boiled chicken to make pasta salad when one is utterly nauseous to ones stomach. :) At times the smell of it all made me run to the bathroom, but I know that the Homeless are waiting for me to bring dinner, so I did it anyway. I couldn't let them down & knowing that they would be hungry just was too hard for me to take. So I went both days last weekend & got a lot of Love & Gratitude in return. I am passing the Love & Gratitude on to all of you, my caring Friends !! :)
One of the Homeless, his name is Terry, always calls me "Miss Karin" & he is my "body guard" at times. So now word is getting around that I am Miss Karin & I got to say I like it. :) It makes me feel like a Southern Belle. ;) A German Southern Belle. ;)
I still need a refrigerator/freezer for the Homeless food that gets donated, so I called our local Christie's Appliances store yesterday & spoke to the son of the owner. Hopefully he will find one to donate, he said he was keeping his eyes out for one for me. Please everyone say a Prayer for this to happen. :) With the hot summers here & the Homeless preferring cold soups, pasta or potato salads it is important to keep them cooled. I also find & buy the weekly bargains from the grocery stores to save money & most need to be kept cold also. We need a Miracle with this. :)
Here is another inspiring story about one of the Homeless people that I see almost every weekend. His name is Delmar & his given Native American name is "Papoose". He is fairly young & part Apache & I am getting to know him little by little. He doesn't drink or do drugs & he is one of the few I sit & eat with. In other words, I trust him. He came with me last weekend to be my "body guard" when I went to the big Park. Anyway, Papoose told me the other day that he makes a little money by collecting soda cans & then cashing them in for change. He uses that money to buy backpacks for other Homeless people. Now how kind is that ??!! :) These people live out of their backpacks, because they can be kept close to their bodies & kept an eye on. They also make good pillows while sleeping. Can you imagine living out of a backpack ??
I am continually surprised how the majority of these people look out for each other & how much respect there is shared between most of them. :) It amazes me !!
First of all I would like to thank T-bird for caring so much & filling up my gas tank to the brim. T-bird, this is the first time in a loooooong time that my car had a full belly. :) I so appreciate what you did !!
And my Lizzy donated money for food once more. :) You are awesome my friend, thank you & I Love You !!
Catherine, my special friend in Illinois, sent a donation check last week. Catherine, I know as a single Mom that wasn't easy for you & I am soooo grateful that you are helping me to feed the Homeless People !! :)
Christina & Rich, friends of mine who live in Maine, also sent a wonderful donation check for food. :) Thank you both for your generosity & know that I am doing this for all of us !! Many, many years ago Rich was my boss in Germany for close to two years. He was the best boss I ever had & the most fun to work with. :) Love You Two !!
Mary Helen continues to support this mission & she sent another donation check a few days ago. Thank you dearest Mary Helen for your kind words & your caring & for spreading the word about this with your friends !! :) You are precious to me !!
And I also received a check in the mail from Rachel & Michael, my dear friends in Portland. Thank you both for being you & for your loving support of my cause !! :) I am sending a great big hug to you both of you this way.
These donations are soooo needed. By feeding about 65 people per weekend now the money goes quickly. And there is always a need to buy Styrofoam plates & bowls & plastic silver wear, along with paper towels as napkins. :)
Last weekend I fed 37 people on Saturday & another 28 people on Monday. :) Yeay !! :)
The total fed so far is 654 in 4 months & one week. :) It is growing every week.
It is amazing what can be achieved when caring people pull together to help others !! :) What gifts you all are to me to help out with this !! :) As they say, it takes a village to feed the Homeless. ;) You all inspire me & keep me going with doing this.
Now to toot my horn a little bit. ;) It is not easy to peel & chop 36 hard boiled eggs & shred 6 1/2 lbs. of boiled chicken to make pasta salad when one is utterly nauseous to ones stomach. :) At times the smell of it all made me run to the bathroom, but I know that the Homeless are waiting for me to bring dinner, so I did it anyway. I couldn't let them down & knowing that they would be hungry just was too hard for me to take. So I went both days last weekend & got a lot of Love & Gratitude in return. I am passing the Love & Gratitude on to all of you, my caring Friends !! :)
One of the Homeless, his name is Terry, always calls me "Miss Karin" & he is my "body guard" at times. So now word is getting around that I am Miss Karin & I got to say I like it. :) It makes me feel like a Southern Belle. ;) A German Southern Belle. ;)
I still need a refrigerator/freezer for the Homeless food that gets donated, so I called our local Christie's Appliances store yesterday & spoke to the son of the owner. Hopefully he will find one to donate, he said he was keeping his eyes out for one for me. Please everyone say a Prayer for this to happen. :) With the hot summers here & the Homeless preferring cold soups, pasta or potato salads it is important to keep them cooled. I also find & buy the weekly bargains from the grocery stores to save money & most need to be kept cold also. We need a Miracle with this. :)
Here is another inspiring story about one of the Homeless people that I see almost every weekend. His name is Delmar & his given Native American name is "Papoose". He is fairly young & part Apache & I am getting to know him little by little. He doesn't drink or do drugs & he is one of the few I sit & eat with. In other words, I trust him. He came with me last weekend to be my "body guard" when I went to the big Park. Anyway, Papoose told me the other day that he makes a little money by collecting soda cans & then cashing them in for change. He uses that money to buy backpacks for other Homeless people. Now how kind is that ??!! :) These people live out of their backpacks, because they can be kept close to their bodies & kept an eye on. They also make good pillows while sleeping. Can you imagine living out of a backpack ??
I am continually surprised how the majority of these people look out for each other & how much respect there is shared between most of them. :) It amazes me !!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Miracles, Miracles, Miracles !! :)
Miracles, Miracles, Miracles !!! :)
Another of my learning experiences early on with Feeding the Homeless was to always check the weather report the day before I go to the parks. And to trust for Miracles to happen, which I have done many times before. :) Actually all of this is based on Faith & Trust that I will be supported by Creator.
Although we mostly have sunshine year-around here in Tucson, there are some days when it actually rains. One Saturday I woke up to a really dreary, cloudy & very rainy day. I had cooked all the food on Friday & just needed to heat it up to take it to the parks that Saturday. It rained all day & it didn't look like it was going to let up. I knew that there wouldn't be anyone in the parks with the wet grass & the very few trees there to protect the people from the rain. What was I going to do with all that food ????
Normally I leave my home around 5:00 PM to make the 25 minute drive to the parks. At 4:30 PM the rain suddenly stopped & the sky cleared & the sun came out, so I heated up the food really quick & headed out. It stayed clear just long enough for me to feed everyone & once the last person ate it started pouring again. It continued to rain the rest of the day & all through the night until the next day.
Creator was my Co-Pilot that day & I said many Thank You Prayers afterwards !! :) I so strongly felt supported from what I always call "Upstairs". :)
Another of my learning experiences early on with Feeding the Homeless was to always check the weather report the day before I go to the parks. And to trust for Miracles to happen, which I have done many times before. :) Actually all of this is based on Faith & Trust that I will be supported by Creator.
Although we mostly have sunshine year-around here in Tucson, there are some days when it actually rains. One Saturday I woke up to a really dreary, cloudy & very rainy day. I had cooked all the food on Friday & just needed to heat it up to take it to the parks that Saturday. It rained all day & it didn't look like it was going to let up. I knew that there wouldn't be anyone in the parks with the wet grass & the very few trees there to protect the people from the rain. What was I going to do with all that food ????
Normally I leave my home around 5:00 PM to make the 25 minute drive to the parks. At 4:30 PM the rain suddenly stopped & the sky cleared & the sun came out, so I heated up the food really quick & headed out. It stayed clear just long enough for me to feed everyone & once the last person ate it started pouring again. It continued to rain the rest of the day & all through the night until the next day.
Creator was my Co-Pilot that day & I said many Thank You Prayers afterwards !! :) I so strongly felt supported from what I always call "Upstairs". :)
Potato Salad with Hot Dogs
Armed with about 40 lbs. of Potato Salad & Hot Dogs in it I went to the two parks today, the first time ever on a Tuesday. I only fed 19 people at the first park, since no one expected me to come today, on a Tuesday instead of the usual Monday. And no one was at the other park. I realize once more how the people wait for me to show up with nourishment every Saturday & Monday. :) Makes all the work even more worthwhile !! :) There is another pot full of potato salad left & I will head back to the two parks tomorrow to feed more. :)
A great big "Thank You" is due to Julia & Drew for your caring support !! :)
Julia sent the link to the website "Growlies for Groups" to help me with recipes for the huge quantities of food I am now cooking. It is also very helpful in finding new recipes, which is always fun too. :) I love to roam through new cookbooks & food magazines for new recipes for the Homeless & for me personally too.
One of the men in the park called me "An Angel" today. Ahhhhhhh. :)
A great big "Thank You" is due to Julia & Drew for your caring support !! :)
Julia sent the link to the website "Growlies for Groups" to help me with recipes for the huge quantities of food I am now cooking. It is also very helpful in finding new recipes, which is always fun too. :) I love to roam through new cookbooks & food magazines for new recipes for the Homeless & for me personally too.
One of the men in the park called me "An Angel" today. Ahhhhhhh. :)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thank You !!
Thank you Colin for donating all those delicious eggs for tomorrows Potato Salad !! That was very thoughtful & caring of you !! :)
And thank you Nicole for donating the huge box of clothes & shoes !! You are so dear & have a very gentle, lovable Spirit !! :) And please thank Jackie for me !! :)
And thank you Nicole for donating the huge box of clothes & shoes !! You are so dear & have a very gentle, lovable Spirit !! :) And please thank Jackie for me !! :)
Cheeseburger Stoup & Another Miracle !!
What an uplifting day this has been !! :)
I was able to feed 37 Homeless people today, the most ever, so far anyway. :) My two huge pots of thick Cheeseburger Soup (it's actually more like a stew) were empty, except for just a small bowl full of leftover.
The people were lined up halfway down the Park & at one point it was hard for me to hold back the tears, I was so touched by all these hungry people waiting to eat, waiting for me.
When I drove off I told everyone that I didn't know if I could come back on Monday, since there is no food & no money left to buy or cook more & it made me quite sad to just think about that. It would be the very first Monday that I wasn't feeding anyone there since I began doing this 4 months ago on the 17th of January.
After I got home my dear friend Amanda called & wondered if she could come over. She wanted to donate 50 lbs. of potatoes for the Homeless meals, 6 ears of fresh corn & 2 lbs. of dry spaghetti pasta. :) Yeay, my prayers were heard & all I need now to make 2 huge bowl fulls of potato salad for Monday is a bunch of eggs, lots of mayonaise, pickles & Kielbasa or chunks of ham. I'm still praying for a Miracle for the funds to be donated by Monday & with lots of Faith in my Heart I already boiled 25 lbs. of the potatoes for the salad. :) I know that God/Creator hears those Prayers. :)
Thank you Amanda once more !! :) You are an Angel & your timing was incredible !! :) It is awesome how lovingly you support this cause of mine !!
Dearest Dave & Linda had donated most of the food for the Cheeseburger Soup/Stew & I shared with Dave the other day that I am so grateful to them, because I know that every two weeks I can count on not having to worry about how I would get the food to make the meals for that weekend. Both Dave & Linda are very constants in this & I could not do it without them !! :) Thank you both for your loving & continuous support !! :)
After everyone was fed I sat with some of my very favorite Homeless people in the Park & we ate together there. We ended up visiting until about 8:30 PM & had lots of laughs & stories to share. :) I am getting to know more of these people & learn about their struggles & joys too. I will share as I blog along.
While being at the first Park I met two Indonesian Chaplains from the Latter Day Saints Church who came with their families (wives & young children) with food that they had cooked for the Homeless. It was heartwarming to see the food they brought & so lovingly prepared. It was all home-cooked too & they even brought drinks for everyone, which I can't afford, at this point anyway. We started talking & decided that we would coordinate the meals, so we wouldn't be there the same days & at the same time. We will keep in touch & maybe even work together. What beautiful two families & how wonderful that they are teaching their young children to give in this way at an early age already !! :)
Life is wonderful & so inspiring !! :)
I was able to feed 37 Homeless people today, the most ever, so far anyway. :) My two huge pots of thick Cheeseburger Soup (it's actually more like a stew) were empty, except for just a small bowl full of leftover.
The people were lined up halfway down the Park & at one point it was hard for me to hold back the tears, I was so touched by all these hungry people waiting to eat, waiting for me.
When I drove off I told everyone that I didn't know if I could come back on Monday, since there is no food & no money left to buy or cook more & it made me quite sad to just think about that. It would be the very first Monday that I wasn't feeding anyone there since I began doing this 4 months ago on the 17th of January.
After I got home my dear friend Amanda called & wondered if she could come over. She wanted to donate 50 lbs. of potatoes for the Homeless meals, 6 ears of fresh corn & 2 lbs. of dry spaghetti pasta. :) Yeay, my prayers were heard & all I need now to make 2 huge bowl fulls of potato salad for Monday is a bunch of eggs, lots of mayonaise, pickles & Kielbasa or chunks of ham. I'm still praying for a Miracle for the funds to be donated by Monday & with lots of Faith in my Heart I already boiled 25 lbs. of the potatoes for the salad. :) I know that God/Creator hears those Prayers. :)
Thank you Amanda once more !! :) You are an Angel & your timing was incredible !! :) It is awesome how lovingly you support this cause of mine !!
Dearest Dave & Linda had donated most of the food for the Cheeseburger Soup/Stew & I shared with Dave the other day that I am so grateful to them, because I know that every two weeks I can count on not having to worry about how I would get the food to make the meals for that weekend. Both Dave & Linda are very constants in this & I could not do it without them !! :) Thank you both for your loving & continuous support !! :)
After everyone was fed I sat with some of my very favorite Homeless people in the Park & we ate together there. We ended up visiting until about 8:30 PM & had lots of laughs & stories to share. :) I am getting to know more of these people & learn about their struggles & joys too. I will share as I blog along.
While being at the first Park I met two Indonesian Chaplains from the Latter Day Saints Church who came with their families (wives & young children) with food that they had cooked for the Homeless. It was heartwarming to see the food they brought & so lovingly prepared. It was all home-cooked too & they even brought drinks for everyone, which I can't afford, at this point anyway. We started talking & decided that we would coordinate the meals, so we wouldn't be there the same days & at the same time. We will keep in touch & maybe even work together. What beautiful two families & how wonderful that they are teaching their young children to give in this way at an early age already !! :)
Life is wonderful & so inspiring !! :)
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