December 2007 Volume 2 Issue 12

Update from the HELP Center

We have been very busy at the HELP Center this fall. Our daily visits range from a low of just over 100 to over 140. That amounts to well over 25,000 visits per year. We are limiting our new members to those people who are currently living on the street or in one of the public shelters. We do this so that we will be able to serve members in the way we are accustomed to doing. After months of having almost no men's clothing on the racks, we have seen a significant increase in those donations. This has made it possible for us to respond to the increased need for fall clothing that we are experiencing. Our biggest need now is for toiletry items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, razors, shaving cream and deodorant). We have just completed our quarterly distribution of those items and we ran out of supply by 11:00 a.m. on the second day of the distribution. We would be very grateful for donations of any of these items at any time. If you prefer to give money, we will use your donations to purchase them ourselves. We are currently having to use our own funds (which are very scarce) for this purpose. The staff and members of the George Hunt HELP Center are grateful for the support we receive from Grace Church on such a regular basis.

I was lucky enough to spend last week in New Orleans with a group of clergy from the Diocese of RI. We visited Grace Church on Canal Street and saw the end result of the good work that the people of Grace Church Providence helped to start over a year ago. The building is now in beautiful condition and a new kitchen is set to open next week. You would be impressed by what has been accomplished there.
- Deacon Buck Close

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