Homeless Task Force

The "Homeless Year" starts in November, a little later than the school year, when it gets too cold to sleep along Dry Creek. Our congregation was very active last year in assisting the homeless. Some of our accomplishments:

• We supported the Church of the Brethren for the Family Promise Program. We take turns acting a shosts when the homeless families in that program stay at their church.
• We collected winter clothing to benefit those in the shelter. It went to shelter residents and to Inter-Faith Ministries.
• We ran a year-round clothing drive, with clothing going to Inter-Faith Ministries and United Samaritans Foundation.
• We cooked and served a meal to about 110 residents of the Salvation Army Shelter at 9th and D streets in Modesto one night a month from November to April. (See below.)
• Our Youth prepared personal care packets for the Modesto shelter residents. Congregation members donated soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc., Our Youth packaged them up and distributed them to the shelter residents.

Feeding the Homeless in Modesto

From November through April, this sub-group of the Social Action Committee served bountiful and nutritious meals on the second Monday of each month to between 95 and 110 residents at the Modesto Shelter. We planned and prepared as carefully as we would for guests in our own homes. The menu varied from month to month. Dinner began with a hot broth and included meats such as loin of pork and applesauce, turkey with homemade cornbread stuffing and cranberry sauces, ham with pineapple, homemade stew and turkey-a-la-king and side dishes such as mashed potatoes (not instant) and gravy, spiced yams, and fried rice. Broccoli or tossed green salad with a choice of five dressings, rolls and butter and a beverage completed the meal. Early on we discovered that our guests loved homemade chocolate pudding with whipped cream and cookies for dessert, so that became a staple. In December we served a traditional Christmas meal and in February our dessert included homemade heart-shaped cookies (thanks to many Fellowship members) and Valentine candies. Every month we included a bottle of water and a piece of fruit for each resident for the next day.

Over 65 members and friends of UUFSC participated in this endeavor. Bill and Aynslie led our efforts. They are the kind of leaders who say "Follow me!", not the kind who tell people "Charge!". They shopped for groceries and prepared part of the meals on Sundays. On Mondays others joined them in the kitchen at the Church of the Brethern. We chopped, diced, mixed and cooked. Bill would then load everything on his his truck and head for the shelter. Others would join us there to serve the meal.

We raised money to fund this program by raffling off beautiful gift baskets.

[Ed. Note: Some bigger churches do more than we do; two of them prepare a meal for the shelter every week, not every month. Some churches do less; on at least one occasion, no church volunteered, so everyone at the shelter got peanut butter sandwiches on day-old bread and tap water for dinner. Our first principle is "The inherent worth and dignity of every person." It is true even if they don't have a home, or if they haven't had a chance to bathe in a while.]