I was in a small city on the northwest this summer for a family vacation. It’s a lovely place that seems to be family friendly, offer many outdoor activities, receives one snowfall a winter, and supports public education. I think it’s hard to accurately get the pulse of a city when you are staying for a short time, yet I think there is something to be said about ones initial “take” of a place. In this small city there is a significant population who are housing insecure (for individuals and families who are homeless.) There are probably many reasons why this problem exists, but I am guessing the lack of harsh, wintery weather is probably one significant reason. As I was driving through downtown one early evening, I saw a barefoot, unkempt young man looking through trash bins on the sidewalk. He appeared to be disorientated and was talking to himself. I wondered if he had a family? Did they know about his situation? If so, I thought how hard it must be for them to know this? What will he be doing in a year?
The city is actively working on this problem but as we all know, house insecurity involves more than just not having a bed. We know this problem carries wide ranging issues like mental illness, substance use, disease, trauma, domestic violence, and lack of affordable housing. It’s really hard to see people in difficult situations because it makes me uncomfortable and guilty that I’m not helping in some way. Fortunately at Holy Trinity we have many different ways to support our community near and far. One of the local organizations that will be starting up again in September is 68 Hours of Hunger. This organization began in Dover by Claire Bloom. She saw a need in a Dover public school to provide meals to children between Friday school lunch and Monday school breakfast. Since 2011, this program has spread into over 7 other states and is 100% volunteer run. A bag of food, averaging $10, is given to children K-12 on Friday. Holy Trinity’s Social Ministry Fund supports the purchasing of food along with the monthly packing of bags in less than an hour by Holy Trinity. As you may have read in a recent Tidings, the 68 Hours of Hunger program provided 3,400 meals to Portsmouth children during the 2020-2021 school year. It’s hard to imagine that some children worry about food or worse yet, are hungry over the weekend as parents work, juggle responsibilities, and prioritize financial necessities. What great work is being done and as we approach the start of another school year maybe you’ll feel the call to pack bags with food. Shortly after seeing this young man on the street, we left to return home. I was unable to directly help him. I hope and pray he can eventually find his way to mental and physical stability.