On Friday March 4 and Saturday March 5 our seven confirmation youth and their mentors will learn firsthand about the present situation of homelessness in Boston.
Friday evening at Calvary they will be briefed and oriented by Carl McDonald, director of Boston Urban Outreach, a youth program of the City Mission Society. They will be joined for dinner by two guests from “Public Voices,” a program which introduces folks in the community to persons who at one time in their lives experienced homelessness.
Our youth will then spend the night at Calvary, heading to Boston Common for an early morning walk to give out sandwiches and have conversations with folks on the street. They will be organized and led by another BUO staff person. Mid-morning they will head to Pilgrim Church UCC in Dorchester to help prepare and serve the weekly community lunch – and will take turns eating with guests and chatting with them. A debriefing session with BUO staff and Pilgrim Church hosts will follow, before the youth and mentors head back to Arlington at 3 p.m.
BUO will distribute to area programs whatever we can collect for them. Donations of the following are still needed, and can be left (up to Friday March 4) in the large cardboard donation box outside the church office:
- New white socks, all sizes
- Good used sweatshirts and hoodies
- Warm hats
- Travel-size toiletries
- Backpacks or tote bags
Thank you for your support, prayers and assistance in this endeavor!