Day 365

It was the PERFECT night at SafeHouse!! It started with some conversation with the man who lives under the bridge - he told Cindi and I the story of him getting hit by a pick up truck, and explained what egg custard is since neither of us has ever heard of it.

The crowd was smaller than usual, it being New Year's Eve and all, so I said hello to a few more people before heading inside to help make grilled cheese sandwiches. There was no church serving tonight, but the group visiting there and a few of us volunteers were more than happy to help put something together!

While doing that and having random NYE conversations with one of the ladies outside it seemed like something was going on there tonight, especially since some of my family members SHOed up! I was asked to come inside for something and walked in to see cake and cards set up in the serving kitchen! Once getting through the thank you's, the hugs, and some cake we started making plates with cake, sandwiches and bowls of potato soup.

We served the meal, had some conversations with a few more people inside, hung out with the awesome group staying there (Happy Birthday David!!) and of course the best volunteers anywhere!

It was definitely the perfect end to this project! Looking forward to going back tomorrow :)

Day 364

It was a quieter night at SafeHouse today, everyone's getting ready for the new year!

I spent some time talking to a gentleman about the winter shelter program - the rules, the program, and his thoughts on it. We then talked about how his job search is going, he's hoping that he'll have better luck after the holidays. Keeping my fingers crossed for him.

I also spent some time talking to a gentleman who wasn't feeling too well this evening. He's been feeling sick for a few days and today has been the worst! He told me about his day, he usually gets 3-4hrs of sleep a night, works a labor intensive job during the day, and is helping out at SafeHouse most nights. He doesn't eat much and is usually exhausted by the time he gets home.

I wish I could do more to help someone like him who's doing all the right things to get his life together to the point of exhaustion! For tonight all I could offer was a cup of hot soup, some green tea and some conversation. Hope he feels better soon.

Day 363

It was a fun night at SafeHouse this evening!

The group there today was amazing! They started by serving hot chocolate, then had a wonderful service, cooked some good food, and ended the night with smores around a bonfire!

I had some great food conversations, helped a gentleman figure out how old he is, did some cloud watching (and saw rainbows!), caught up with a gentleman I had not seen in a few months, and handed out shelter tickets at the end of the night.

Hoping for more conversations tomorrow :)

Day 362

There was no church serving at SafeHouse today, but some of the amazing staff there put together a meal that had everyone wanting seconds, thirds, and more! It was a simple meal: delicious soup, toasted bread, and fruit. The soup was the house favorite - I think it's a secret recipe!

We only had a few volunteers today too, so it was a busy night of getting everything into plates, bowls, and cups, serving, and of course having a lot of fun while we did all of that. I had a few minutes as we were serving to say hello to different people, and only had a few conversations before everyone came inside. So I'm definitely looking forward to an evening of conversations tomorrow :)

Kid and Hema - you guys are the best!! Thank you for coming with me tonight.

Day 361

It was a really really cold day in the city - thank goodness for the group serving there tonight! The doors were opened early to get people out of the cold, and the volunteers with the group made hot chocolate and served everyone while they were waiting for service to start. And they were making hot soup to serve with dinner!

I went inside and said my hellos to as many people as I could before it got crowded, conversation topics included weather, rainbows, leprechauns, and frogs! One gentleman spoke to me about doing good for others (even if it's just a friendly hello) no matter what kind of day he has had. He has a wonderfully positive attitude about everything and it's so refreshing to talk to him!

Since this has come up a few times :)
...the project will be over in a few days...all that means to me is that I won't have to write a blog at the end of the day. I still plan on volunteering about 3-4 days a week, primarily at SafeHouse but also Open Hand, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Global Soap, and Books for Africa, and then any other opportunities that interest me. This project has made a huge impact on my life, there's no turning back now!!

Day 360

The past few days have been emotionally draining but my night at SafeHouse was a welcome break from it all, filled with some good conversations and helping in the kitchen. I started off catching up with a gentleman I haven't seen for a few weeks. The last time I saw him he told me that he would be moving in to a winter shelter and would not need to come to SafeHouse for meals while he was there. But he stopped by today to socialise and it was great catching up with him.

The gentleman who lives under the bridge shared food stories with me :) We talked about fried chicken, butter milk and corn bread, and his all time favorite seasoning - Mrs. Dash lemon pepper seasoning. I'm definitely going to have to try this one out!

Before I left for the night I had a cathartic discussion (I think discussions can be cathartic, maybe). This gentleman talked with me about relationships in his life and the emotions that arise when some relationships end. We talked about making life altering decisions and how those decisions are clouded by emotions, as well as how sometimes it's better to wait and control the emotions before making a decision. We talked about trust and respecting yourself and the other person, because any relationship without those things will fall apart. He was talking specifically about his relationship but this is the basis of so many relationships.

As this project comes to an end, I'm once again reminded of how much this year has given me...

Day 359

SafeHouse hosted a Christmas Party this morning/afternoon for some wonderful families! I arrived at about 9am and helped get some of the basic setting up done. Before I knew it, it was time to get to the apartments to pick up families and bring them back to SafeHouse for lunch. After 3 trips we had everyone there enjoying some delicious food and waiting in excitement for their presents.

A LOT of volunteers were able to make it out (they're amazing!) so we had several people making plates, serving food and soda, interacting, cleaning up and just doing whatever was needed at any given moment. Santa also made a special appearance and the kids loved it! With his arrival, the gifts were handed out and all you could hear was laughter and excitement in the room!

The event was perfect! And it was a great way to start my day :)

Day 358

I made up for no conversations yesterday - this evening at SafeHouse was full of conversations!

I started off talking with the gentleman who lives under the bridge. Today's topic centered on animals - cats and kittens, possums, rats. It evolved into what animals eat and the claim that they eat anything, and right before I left that conversation it switched to cannibalism!

I then spent the remainder of my time there talking with the gentleman who always cleans up with me. I hadn't talked to him since I got back from vacation so we had a lot to catch up on. He has been going to the library regularly and is not happy about them being closed for the holidays! He had a lot of questions about my trip so we talked about what life is like over there, animals, the weather, and food. We also talked about the local shelter and all the news about it closing or not closing. I asked him about his thoughts on joining a program and, like many others have told me, he doesn't want to join a program because of the structure - he says it's a loss of freedom. He shared that he enjoys being out here learning about the world and being able to see different things.

That's one of the things I love about SafeHouse - they meet people where they are in life and provide whatever assistance they can for that specific person's needs. For this gentleman, it's a meal and service each night.

Day 357

It was sorting day at SafeHouse. After yesterday's nightmare of finding clothes I asked if I could take some time this evening to sort (somehow) through the piles of clothes in the back hallway.

I went through and sorted mens, womens, and kids clothes and tried to fold them up, as neatly as I could!

Once service was over we handed out as many clothes as we could, mainly jackets, sweaters, and blankets. It's really cold tonight so hopefully anyone sleeping outside will be a little warmer!

I had a few conversations, mainly about holiday plans, new year resolutions, and presents!

Now its family time in the city :)

Day 356

After battling thunderstorms from Columbus I made it to SafeHouse just in time for a rather busy night. Since it was pouring rain here as well, Lablanc thought it would be great if we could give anyone who needed it, a dry set of clothes. Of course I was on board with this so that's what we made happen tonight.

Thank goodness Dona and Luna were there! As I got people's sizes, the two of them dug through piles of clothes to find the right ones for each person. After service we handed them out to everyone and then helped anyone else who needed clothes/shoes. It was a relief to know that they were not going to have to sleep in clothes that were soaking wet!!

Before leaving for the night I had a chance to talk to the gentleman who used to be in the air force. He came by after service to get a cigarette and ended up telling me about his whole day and how it led up to the moment he came by SafeHouse. It was a fun conversation and he promised he'd come by tomorrow to tell me more stories - I'm looking forward to it :)

Day 351

Hema, Lisa, and I went out to Brook Run Skate Park this afternoon in support of the Shred for Josh Benefit Concert. Josh was shot in the stomach while hanging with friends in downtown Atlanta in late November. He is currently in stable condition but was left with some pretty hefty medical bills. All proceeds from the contest are going directly to Josh to help him pay the bills. 



The weather was perfect for the event and there were A LOT of people out to support it. None of us had ever been to a skateboarding event so we were in awe as we watched the skateboarders! And I was constantly gasping when people fell off boards or balanced on edges that I know I don't have the balance for. We left before things got gnarlier!


It was a great event - thank you Clint and Brook Run Skate Park for having us!!

The ONLY girl in her age group!

He's 4years old!!!! And adorable!!

Day 350

Busy night at SafeHouse! I spent some time talking with the gentleman who used to be in the Air Force. He shared all kinds of informational tidbits. He is not always coherent and usually mutters to himself while collecting anything he sees on the floor. But this week he has been a little more focused, conversations are still very tangential and factual. He told me about sharks and dolphins, Nixon, helicopters and jets, and an Access card that he can use to get whatever he wants as long as he knows the PIN.

Once service started everyone went inside, so Cindi and I helped where ever needed: finding clothes for various people, serving soup, collecting garbage, handing out shelter tickets, and of course socialising as much as possible!

Day 349

SafeHouse didn't have service today but I was there early enough that I got to talk with the gentleman who lives under the bridge.

It was a conversation down memory lane. We started talking about cloudy days and how it can make people feel depressed. He told me how grateful he was for each day and that he hopes to live a long life. He shared that he had seen many family members pass away at an early age, and from there he shared many family stories. He told me about playing with his cousins, going out to underground in his teenage years, mum's home cooking, and skipping school. I loved listening to each of his stories and am so glad I got to talk with him today!

Now its game time @ the dome!!

Day 348

SafeHouse was, once again, the perfect place for me to go to this evening to "get away" for a while. I started off with helping one gentleman fill out an application to get his ID. He wasn't sure about some of his info - I'm hoping he will get the last few details so we can finish that up tomorrow. He shared that he would like to get his ID so he can start looking for a job, and possibly learn more about computers.

Helping him with that then turned into a conversation circle. Each of the guys showed off their cellphones, we talked about ID photos and how horrible they can turn out, my trip home, food and cultures, and then everyone's favorite sports/hobbies. As the evening went on there were a lot of hellos and checking in conversations. One gentleman shared that he has orientation tomorrow for his holiday job; another shared details on his upcoming move to Florida.

Cindi and I also helped find clothes for a gentleman who was in need of clean clothes. While he was eating we hung out with him. He is very talkative but usually keeps to himself so it was great to be able to have a conversation with him, even one that was very tangential!

Day 347

I made a quick stop at SafeHouse before heading to their last 11 for 11 fundraiser of the year. The lot was quieter than normal. I talked to the gentleman who lives under a certain bridge - he told me that it was warmer in the city today and that he spent the afternoon enjoying the sun and reading a book. We watched a couple of people play Frisbee, and we directed traffic on the lot!

About an hour later I headed over to Mood Lounge for tonight's fundraiser. Dona spent a lot of time putting this one together and making sure every detail was perfect (including her santa hat and mistletoe). The location was chic and I was pleasantly surprised.

The crowd was very different this time and I had a great time meeting all these new faces! There were lots of introductions, conversations, great appetizers and drinks, and of course lots of laughing!Dona kept up with making sure everyone was having a good time while I walked around collecting donations. Overall, it was the perfect ending to my day and we are so grateful to everyone who came out to show their support for all the amazing work SafeHouse does! THANK YOU!!

Day 345

It was a quieter evening at SafeHouse today, not sure what else was going on in the city...I walked on to the lot, saw some familiar faces, walked over to say hello, heard my name get called from elsewhere, and then saw my (now 3year old) buddy running up to me. As soon as I picked him up he started telling me all kinds of stories that I couldn't really have any conversations with anyone else.

He took me over to another volunteer and then had us playing hide-and-seek for the next 20minutes. In between hiding and running I said hello to several people. I also caught up with the gentleman who volunteers with many different organizations. He is planning to move to Florida at the end of the month to start fresh. While I know this is something good for him, and something he has been considering for months, it still made me a little sad that he is going away. He is one of those people who tries really hard to make things better but gets caught up in the wrong crowd, he cares about people and making a difference in our community and is always looking for an opportunity to do so. I'm definitely going to miss him and really hope I get to see him a few more times before he leaves.

Today marks twenty days left on this project. I'm sure I will eventually share my thoughts on that, but for now I'd like to say thank you to all of you who in the past 24hours have reminded me of what this project means to me, the difference it's made in not just my life but yours as well, and the fact that it's not just a project but my passion too! Thank you!

Day 343

I made it back just in time to hang out at SafeHouse for a little while :)

It was a night full of conversations, laughing, and meeting new people (or rather, people I've seen before but hadn't actually met). I talked to one gentleman about cultures, religion, and he told me about diversity in his family and how how that has made him interested in learning about different people.

Another gentleman came up to talk to me and said that he always sees me there and was wondering why I came by. I told him about Project 365 as well as the things I enjoy at the nightly service: meeting people who have been through different things, being able to talk to them and just listen to their stories, and of course the bond and relationships that are formed each night. This conversation was a wonderful reminder of why I'm doing this project and why I've enjoyed it so much!

I also met a lady and her son this evening but we only chatted for a few minutes. She was very paranoid about anyone talking to her and was very skittish. I'm hoping to talk to her a little each time I see her and hoping she'll slowly feel comfortable talking to me too.

Day 338

I had a nice evening at SafeHouse today, really laid back, weather was a little warmer than most of this week, and the conversations were all fun!

I met someone new today, another gentleman from New York - he just got here Friday night! He has been staying at the shelter and is hoping to apply for a few jobs this week. We compared the weather here to that in New York; he told me some about his family; a little about the friends he came down here with; and about the friends he's made in the past two days.

I also got to catch up with a few people I had not seen in weeks! We caught up on what books to read, volunteering at the food bank, football games, fantasy football, and old friends from my early days at SafeHouse.

I also caught up with the gentleman who used to be interested in the stock market. We talked about jumping out of planes and all the reasons not to, jobs (he has worked in a mental health setting before as well), and how he plans on having a merry Christmas this year!

On the road starting tomorrow, hoping to make it to SafeHouse for a bit before I head out...

Day 337

I volunteered at Books for Africa first thing this morning and made it through 2 very cold hours in the warehouse!

There were a lot of volunteers there today, most of them high school kids, so we sorted and packed A LOT of books. The box I was going through was mostly elementary school leisure reading books and some middle school books. I remembered some of the titles from way back when - some things are meant to stay the same :)

Day 336

After a somewhat stressful day I made it to SafeHouse and was greeted by the young boy who comes there often. He was playing tic-tac-toe and learning to write his name with one of the volunteers. It was a quieter night today since most people get their cheques around this time but there were still some fun conversations.

I caught up with one gentleman who shared that he was going to the SEC parade tomorrow; joked around with someone else about basketball, spades, and the skills I have in both those activities and how I could probably win against him (he has been teaching me both); talked to another gentleman about women (specifically two of us) taking over the world and how much stress that may cause him; and before leaving for the night hung out with the wonderful volunteers for a bit!

A night at SafeHouse always gets rid of the stress!