Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Remembering Our Neighbors

As we sit snug in our warm homes, I ask that you turn your mind to the less fortunate. Our society is faced with high unemployment and underemployment. Many people are without homes. Please think about those who do not have a place to live.
On these long cold winter nights, please think of those who have paid the price of our society's failure to provide for those in need. Today I honor those who have died on the streets. I was lucky and was homeless was only during the summer. I will strive harder this year to help provide for those in need.
One concrete way that I can help is to volunteer with The Warming Place in The Dalles. The Warming Place, which is open when the temperature dips below freezing, is housed in St. Vincent dePaul Community Meal Dining Room, and is open when the flag is out, from 7pm to 7am. It is staffed by two volunteers each night. A church or an organization is responsible for a day of the week. Volunteers have participated in a brief training session. Hood River is also starting a warming shelter program in January.
No matter where you live, I encourage you to check into local ways that you can help out others in need. Please remember to encourage you legislators to create laws to help protect the homeless. For more information on homelessness, please visit the National Coalition for the Homeless.
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