by Kimberly Parker
What a year 2020 has been!
I know that many people have said or written these same words. I’m sure none of us ever thought that in January of 2020, we would be facing a pandemic that would shut the world down and change the ways in which we work, socialize, and live life. Even in March when all of this hit, I never thought that in December, things would still be as bad as they are.
Life has changed, and I don’t know that it will ever go back to what it once was or what we perceived it to be. I also don’t know if that’s all bad. Hopefully, there are some good things or positive changes that we can hold on to rather than falling back into a rut of going through the motions of life without truly appreciating what life can bring.
Life in the midst of a pandemic is hard on everyone, but it’s harder for some than others. I am extremely grateful that I have not missed a paycheck, gone without eating, or lost everything that I owned. I know many who can’t say the same thing. I don’t want to take my privilege or the things I have for granted because I, too, could be one of those who loses everything.
The people we serve on a daily basis have been hit hard by the pandemic. Their day to day routines have changed. Many organizations have closed. Others have modified how they operate. Shelters take fewer people. Our guests have had to change the ways they survive. Soup kitchens and clothing closets are not operating as usual.
The OAC has also changed the way it operates. We are currently only open three days per week. We limit how many people are in the lobby at one time. We only have our staff and two interns working with us and no volunteers. We only allow people to check and pick up their mail at our doorway, where we keep the door wide open for air to circulate. There are no longer 60-75 people in our lobby at one time nor people coming and going as they please.
When everything changed for us earlier in the year, I felt strongly about being able to offer snack and hygiene items to everyone who came to our door. This was different for us. In the past, we only had snacks and hygiene items available for those we saw for actual services with a case manager. And there were times when we didn’t have anything to offer our guests. For the last several months, we have been able to offer snack and hygiene items to everyone who comes to our door, and the number isn’t small. We have had approximately 5,381 visits to our door for guests to either check or pick up their mail which means that a snack and hygiene bag was offered at least 5,381 times since April 2020.
Central OAC has not spent a dime purchasing these items. We have been able to do this because approximately 100 individuals have donated the items we need. In addition to the individual in-kind giving, we have also received donations from 18 different groups (churches, government, non-profits), who shared with us when they had an abundance of their own.
When I look at these numbers, I am blown away by the generosity of others! At times we have asked and it has been provided. At other times, we didn’t even ask and the items were provided.
Thank you to everyone who has helped our guests keep moving forward! We’re grateful for you each year, but especially in 2020. Happy Holidays!