News and Views for supporters and friends of
News and Views for supporters and friends
of
Autumn
2006
As
colder weather sets in, it’s time to remember the special,
seasonal needs of those who have next to no resources to stave off the
cold.
Blankets
We prefer to give out used blankets as they are less likely to be stolen and sold. Buy yourselves new blankets and give us your old ones. You don’t need to wait for a special time to do this. Any week you choose they will be appreciated. Either leave them in the Great Room foyer at St. Philip’s or drop them by our house. We will give them away the following Thursday evening.
Men’s Coats, Socks, Hats &
Underwear
Octagon Research got us started right this season with four garbage size bags of new white tube socks and two bags of knit hats. We can always use more. We also need coats, sweatshirts, T-shirts and boxers, briefs and longjohns. Think layers. People who don’t have ready access to climate controlled space need to layer.
Whom We Serve
It
seems that I am always explaining to people why we serve in the open
air rather than at a homeless shelter. Many of those we serve are not
homeless. They are working at low wage jobs or are "retired" and have
to make a choice each month on whether they are going to spend their
money on food or rent. This is why our numbers go up as the month wears
on. We see more of those who receive food stamps or monthly checks as
they run out of money before they run out of month.
The homeless we
see fall into three main categories. There are those who are just
finding themselves homeless; just released from jail or prison, kicked
out of home, divorced, etc.. There are those who have behavior and/or
legal problems. People who get written up in a shelter get banned from
that shelter. People who misbehave repeatedly end up banned from the
whole system. Also, there are many who have bench warrants who would be
apprehended if they gave their Social Security number to a shelter.
Then there are the mentally ill. Some are paranoid or feel they have
been abused by the system so they won’t give out their SS number
to enter a shelter.
What We Do
The
King’s Jubilee serves soup, sandwiches, pasta with meat sauce,
fruit drink, cold water, fruit and goodies (if we have them) to between
50 and 150 men and a few women in Center City Philadelphia every
Thursday night. This is in a park, year-round.
We also share
toiletries, blankets and season appropriate clothing with them.
We also try to
gather resources for other ministries that serve the poor in
Jesus’ Name. If we can’t do it in Jesus’ Name, we
don’t have time to do it.
Hope for the Future
We recently have seen an increase in the number of younger volunteers coming out regularly to serve. This is so encouraging to me and to those whom we serve. Also, folks from more churches have joined in, making this truly pan-Orthodox.
Pray for Rosalie and Clare
In
the Summer newsletter, we asked you to pray for Rosalie and Clare.
Rosalie seemed to come through the chemotherapy all right, but now it
appears the leukemia is advancing again.
Clare is doing
just fine.
Please continue
to pray.Autumn
The Appeal
We
can only do what we do, because there are many others who share the
resources God has given them with us. Donations are gladly and
gratefully received. The reverse of this newsletter is an invitation to
the Extreme Makeover Barn Edition. Please help us to stay in operation.
We can’t afford to hire help, since we have always made career
choices based on maintaining a flexible schedule to serve the poor and
those in prison. We don’t regret this, but it means we, in turn,
rely more heavily on you.
In addition to
checks and cash, personal size shampoos, soaps & lotions are always
welcome, as well as men’s clothing in season.
Checks can be
mailed to:
The King's
Jubilee
27 N. Front St.
Souderton, PA
18964-1148
Our phone is:
267-497-0267
email: TKJ@shoutforjoy.net
Thank you. May the Lord bless you as you bless the poor in
Jesus' Name.
Peace,
Cranford Joseph Coulter
© 2006 The King's Jubilee
