The Future's so bleak, I gotta wear sunscreen

We recently posted about the shelter crisis in DC here at Beyond Bread – but the magnitude of the problem did not hit me until the latest request for Helping Other People Help People came in from Miriam’s Kitchen.

Ashley Lawson, Volunteer and Development Coordinator over at the Kitchen, shared with me:

Right now we need small bottles of sunscreen since most of our guests are in the hot sun all day.

For the many people who are unable to work, being without a home means having no place to go during the day- to take shelter from cold or heat, to use a bathroom, or to eat. During particularly bad summers, the “Hypothermia Hotline” becomes the Hyperthermia Hotline, allowing for a van to come pick up those in need of emergency help. Organizations like Miriam’s Kitchen, N Sreet Village, and others provide spaces for a percentage of people for have their needs met during the day, when shelters are closed.

It’s not enough.

Residents of our city are without shelter, homelessness is rising at the same time our budget for shelter has been decreasing. The funding for safety net programs is being threatened.

Help Miriam’s Kitchen protect our most vulnerable citizens by contacting Ashley, and then tell your council members that now that you’ve done your part, it’s time for them to do theirs.