Father Joe’s Villages, San Diego, is an organization with a mission to find effective solutions for the approximately 7600+ homeless, unsheltered local citizens, including children, who are on the streets at any given time. This unsheltered group of individuals and families are often forced to sleep on sidewalks, tunnels, alleys, walkways, beaches, and parks with no access to bathrooms, heat, water, or food. As Fall approaches, Father Joe’s Villages seeks out blanket donations to help those on the street survive in cold and inclement weather. The Lions of the SDMLC learned of their need for winter blankets, and began to gather blankets and toiletries from early Spring until August 1st with a goal of 100 blankets, both new and gently used, along with combs, razors, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and more to help with their daily hygiene needs.
The SDMLC PRIDE, with lions located in multiple states, fully participated in this project engaging in so many ways to secure blankets for Father Joe’s. Some Lions ordered blankets online shipping them to the SDMLC headquarters, while Lions in Los Angeles drove carloads down from there. Still, other Lions were able to find their secret closet stash of blankets tucked in that special corner of their house or on the top shelf of their garage cabinet. Blankets came pouring in from all over. We ROARED as a PRIDE!
On a beautiful Friday morning in San Diego, we loaded the truck, but realized we had only collected 98 blankets and short of our hopeful goal of 100 by only two blankets. Where could we quickly find two more blankets to meet our goal? With a neighborly “shout-out” across the street and into the air to the neighbor tending her garden, as Lions stood high on a pile of blankets from the back of the truck – we could be heard saying “…Hi Michela! We’re headed down to Father Joe’s in just five minutes and we are short two blankets to reach our project goal for those in need. Can you help us out?…” In less than 3 minutes, our friend of the Lions, ran into her house, and produced the needed two blankets to help us reach our goal. Neighbors helping neighbors….Lions able to help community. It was a wonderful moment feeling the instant gift of friendship and the warmth of a big heart. Isn’t San Diego a terrific place to live with such a caring community?
We were warmly greeted with a big smile by David, Father Joe’s Warehouse Operations Manager, and he made us feel very welcomed while we all joined together to unload a very full truck full of 100 blankets and an assortment of toiletries. Thank you Father Joe’s Villages for letting the San Diego Miramar Lions Club contribute to your efforts for the homeless.
