United Way Day of Caring
September 16, 2011 at 1:40 PM
It's right there for everyone to see, a fresh coat of paint that makes a very old building proud to stand among newer ones. What's not as obvious is how it has brought a community closer today. Since early this morning a hand full of Mass Mutual employees have been hard at work, applying paint and spreading good feelings among a population that too often feels forgotten and unwanted. They are corporate transportation specialists, who for this one day are neighbors and friends to people out of work and down on their luck.
Many people in our community do not have reason to travel as far up Worthington Street, as the Friends of the Homeless campus. If you don't, you may not be aware that a once dark, overcrowded place has been reborn with a bright, welcoming resource center for men and women who are homeless. It relies largely on donors to pay the bills and volunteers to do the work. There's always plenty of need and not enough resources to go around. But alongside, shelter guests, tenants, and a few employees there are volunteers who serve the meals, sort donations, wash windows and yes today, paint a tired old building.
They tell us that they know someone who has stayed here after loosing a job. One even contributes money from his paycheck each week. But nothing is as engaging as the chance to see it in person and speak with those who rely on it for life's essentials. The United Way of Pioneer Valley brought these new friends here through it's annual Day of Caring. They wanted to contribute and they have. When they leave our campus, it will be with a new understanding of what it means to be homeless, how extensive the needs are, and how easy it really is to make a difference. One Day of Caring could lead to 364 more!
Kathy Tobin
After almost thirty years covering the news for television affiliates in Western Massachusetts, Kathy joined Friends of the Homeless in the fall of 2009 to help raise money and the profile of the organization to fulfill its mission. As Director of Development, Kathy is available to help you understand the work we are doing and how you might contribute to end homelessness in our community.