Event Date: November 30, 2010
Event Photographer: True Love Photo

As you read this, you may be in your home, with your central heating system cranking out the hot air, and dinner on the stove before catching the news and going to sleep in your nice warm bed.

Have you thought about sleeping outside recently? I’m not talking about going camping, I’m talking about sleeping outdoors for the sake of sleeping outdoors.

With your warm bed beckoning, why would you consider that?

What if you didn’t have a comfortable bed, or even yet a warm house, to sleep in every night? Given these amenities many people take for granted on a daily basis, do you think you could handle not having the comforts of your home?

Thousands of people in Sacramento are designated as homeless. A 2007 survey estimates that on any given night, almost 2,500 people are homeless. This figure includes nearly 300 children, 24% women, 54% have alcohol or drug disabilities, and 16% are veterans of U.S. Armed Forces. (Source: Community Service Planning Council)

If you have driven pretty much anywhere around downtown Sacramento, you know that homeless citizens are very visible. Many have lost their homes and jobs because of the economy or other financial matters, others have lost control of their drug and alcohol abuse, and still others are on the streets because they choose to be.

Regardless of how they got there, they are still people who have considerably less than we may, and they can use our help.

Loaves and Fishes is an organization that feeds the hungry and shelters the homeless. They provide “an oasis of welcome, safety, and cleanliness for homeless men, women, and children seeking survival services.”

We would be helping out with Loaves and Fishes on this day, and this cause in particular was very intriguing to me because I was unable to volunteer with them during last year’s 20 Causes, 20 Days.

Seeing how I pass by homeless people on a daily basis and I hadn’t made time to help them on a bigger level than handing out my pocket change, I was excited for today’s volunteer event.

I met up with Nina, Jennifer, Nic, Niki, Mara, and Rashell at one of the dining halls. We all introduced ourselves to volunteer coordinator Sandra Morris, who had to step out to attend fundraising events on this afternoon. Assistant volunteer coordinator Cindy then took charge and instructed us, along with the other volunteers from a local Rotary Club, on today’s tasks.

Considering that Loaves and Fishes has been serving the homeless since 1983, they have a very streamlined system. We signed up for our individual tasks, and headed off to the main dining area.

There are two dining areas at Loaves and Fishes, the smaller one where we met, and the large dining hall where my group and I would be helping serve today’s meal.

The group of volunteers, about 15 in all, said a pre-meal prayer and while I’m not a very religious man, I could feel the spirit as we all knew we’d be doing a lot to help those less fortunate than ourselves today.

We grabbed our aprons and gloves and headed into the main dining room. Today’s meal was a Mexican theme. My task was to provide lettuce for the burritos. Rashell and Mara handed trays, forks, and napkins to the diners. Nic handed out apples and desserts – scones and pie. Jennifer served the sour cream, Nina served the jalapenos, and Niki scooped the beans.

With a couple other volunteers handing out burritos and tamales, it was quite an efficient line. It had to be, as all told more than 600 people received a free meal on this afternoon in two hours.

This was quite an experience. The people who came through represented every walk of life imaginable. All ages, ethnicities, men, women, teens, children. Some were very coherent and alert, while others seemed to have been feeling the effects of constant street life. All were hungry.

The majority were grateful to see our smiling faces. While in reality they were probably more grateful for the free, hot meal they were about to enjoy, many did take time to thank everyone in the kitchen line personally as they walked through.

When there would be a lull in the dining line, I took a couple seconds to go high-five each of the volunteers. Every one of them had a smile on their face, and I could see that they were getting the most out of this experience. They knew that they were making a difference today.

I fed off their energy. It felt good to me because not only were we all helping others less fortunate, but I had brought people together to donate their time for a greater good, and they were personally benefiting from it.

It was another reaffirmation of how this 20 Causes, 20 Days project is on a great path to success. I found solace in realizing that mom would be proud.

We cleaned the kitchen and I made sure to grab a couple leftover burritos for my dinner that night. Everyone gave hugs and thanked me for bringing them out today.

Niki said “I was surprised how nice everyone was and how much they were grateful for us being there”

Nic said he would remember “the selflessness of the people who work [there]… They work every day to put out a good meal for hundreds of people in need and seem to really enjoy what they are doing and appreciate you for coming out and help, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.”

Nina had a lot of great things to say. “I realized that I lead a very fortunate life.  I am lucky to have a warm place to call home and I don’t have to ever worry about where my next meal is coming from.  It was amazing to see this community in action.  Every person that came through the line today was respectful, kind and happy to interact.  Rules (unspoken or otherwise) were adhered to and there was such an overwhelming feeling of thanks that came from those that we served today.  I really had fun chatting with the folks while we cleaned up.  I felt that it was very important to Loaves and Fishes that each guest be treated with the utmost respect and it was a great reminder that they are people too.  I think we forget when we are out and about when we see someone on the street asking for help that they are only human and have fallen on some unfortunate circumstance.  It was also mind opening to see that not everyone that came through was homeless.  I thought that this organization only helped homeless and found out that they help anyone that comes through those doors.  I think that’s something we could all take away with us – everyone needs help at one time or another and everybody could use a little hand and a smile,” she said

There are always volunteer opportunities available at Loaves and Fishes, and they constantly need volunteers as they are the true core of helping serve Sacramento’s homeless. Prospective volunteers must complete an orientation. Volunteer information is below.

I highly recommend you make some time to volunteer at Loaves and Fishes. When you lay in bed tonight and enjoy the warmth of your heater under your home’s roof, realize that there are thousands of people here in Sacramento who would love to be so lucky.

Thanks so much to all the volunteers who joined me today and participated in our great experience. Also, thanks to both Sandra and Cindy for having us out there today and helping us enjoy some personal growth and reflection.

Loaves and Fishes
Volunteer information
Phone: 916.446.0874

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