Wednesday night we helped 57 neighbors with laundry, distributed hygiene supplies, shared a meal and ran Stephanie’s Closet with help from 14 volunteers.
It takes a solid team of compassionate, confident and committed volunteers to pull off an event that meets our neighbors right where they’re at, especially in the winter when that means hanging out in a dark parking lot in the driving rain. We’ll be pricing arks this week.
We continue to see more families on the brink of houselessness in need of laundry and food supports. We had a mama ask for a meal for her kiddo, and requested that if we had extra at the end could she have one for herself? You’d better believe we filled up her bag with as much food as would fit.
Several neighbors had infected cuts and other issues requiring basic medical care. On that note, yesterday we received a huge donation of first aid supplies (11 pallets!) thanks to Norma and Pastor Heather of Oak Grove UMC and help from Stephanie of Milwaukie Lutheran and our very own Carol Drudis-Swainson.
Blake with Outside In joined us for NEX and connected with neighbors - thank you Blake!
Our buddy Bradley and his dad ran our coffee station to the delight of neighbors needing a warm reprieve from the cold.
From one of our volunteers: “Highlight of the night was this pretty grizzly looking dude looking at my Ducks jacket and saying go Beavs! Then he smiled at me. I told him we have to hand it to the Beavs this year.”
Several new volunteers joined us and have already made arrangements to come back and help again.
Pastor Sara and Storyline Community, Tom and Vickie and King of Kings Lutheran, and a friend from Milwaukie Lutheran Church provided sack meals. Dan of Oregon City Grocery Outlet volunteered as well as providing bottled water, candy canes and a pop-up tent.
As we reflect on our final Milwaukie event of 2020, we want to thank our community for continuing to support the mission of LoveOne: to provide love, respect and dignity one load, one shower and one meal at a time.
You are all loved deeply.❤
