Fall 2016 Issue 29
DDB Mission: Feed the hungry & provide services for the homeless of Harrisburg. Inside This Issue: Soup Showdown Sponsorship
Opportunities Drop-In Center Update Emergency Serving Client Story Wish Lists
Downtown Daily Bread 310 N. Third Street Harrisburg PA 17101 www.downtowndailybread.org www.facebook.com/ DowntownDailyBread
717-238-4717 Elaine Strokoff Executive Director Kobie White Kitchen Manager Contega Hodges Part-Time Cook Christine Patrick Client Counselor Selma Sanders-West Drop-In Center Counselor Cheryl Hawkins Career Counselor Cynthia Swanson Mental Health Outreach Counselor Linda McGuire Newsletter Editor
DDB Advisory Board
Chris Baldrige Elaine Blass Carlyn Chulick Georgia Lee Coffman Marianne Fischer Jonathan Freeman Lee Freeman Kate Harner John Jewett Lisa Landis David Saurman John Van Allen
From The Director I would like to share a story with you as told by the mother of a young child: “One day my daughter was late coming home from school. I was both annoyed and worried. When she came through the door, I demanded that she tell me why she was late. ‘Mommy, she said, ‘I was walking home with Amy when she dropped her doll and it broke into little pieces.’ “Oh, honey, I replied, you were late because you helped Amy pick up the pieces and put the doll together.” In her young and innocent voice, my daughter said, “‘No, Mommy! I didn’t know how to fix the doll. I just stayed to help Amy cry.’” At Downtown Daily Bread, we listen to the men and women who come to the soup kitchen. Sometimes we feel like crying with them. In an ideal world, we could “fix” everything and “put all of the pieces together.” Unfortunately, that is not possible because there are so many pieces of a fragmented, broken life. We can start, however, by filling the hole of hunger by serving a person a hearty, nutritious meal. After that, other physical, mental, or emotional needs can be met. DDB counselors are available to listen to clients and help them find a course of action which addresses individual needs. The counselors can also determine if someone is suffering from drug or alcohol abuse or mental illness and help them find appropriate resources in the community. The roots of poverty—including abuse, neglect, illiteracy, and generations of living below the poverty line - can break the human body and the human spirit. Downtown Daily Bread has the job of trying to put the pieces together. We do not have the luxury of crying with our clients, but we can work to help make them whole again, one piece at a time. You can become an active part of the DDB mission by attending the DDB Soup Showdown on October 23, 2016. Become a sponsor, attend the event, show support, and have a good time! It is the perfect recipe to give back while helping others move forward. I can not wait to see you there! Best wishes,
Elaine DDB Drop-In Center Update This September, the DDB Drop-In Center will mark its first year of operation. On average, 15-30 people use the center each day for shelter from the elements. Homeless men and women are able to use the bathroom; see a nurse; speak with a counselor; use the computer; do crossword puzzles; or watch TV. Some individuals, who work at night, are able rest safely on a cot, with their possessions secure beside them. DDB is glad to be providing this service; the only one of its kind in the city. Counselor, Selma Ward, shares this individual success story: “Last fall, when he came to DDB as a client, Joey (not his real name), had been sleeping on the ground between a rows of hedges near a church. Sleeping on the ground in all kinds of weather aggravated a back injury from a past job. One day, while at the DDB Soup Kitchen, Joey heard about the Drop-In Center and began visiting it regularly. After speaking with me, he learned about AARP and opportunities for “over 55” workers. One day, Joey signed into the Drop In Center as a client on a Friday and became a paid AARP “Activity Aide” worker the following Monday. Joey can now afford an apartment and is no longer homeless. He lives with a roommate in a furnished apartment on a quiet street in a safe neighborhood.” Joey’s next challenge was the long walk several miles to and from work. Selma provided Joey with a bus pass and referred him to the Share-a-Ride Program to help him get to work and to doctors’ appointments. Joey’s health has improved and he is better able to care for himself. Joey explains, “Coming to DDB and the Drop-In Center has completely changed my life! God has truly blessed me. I have met people who care about me and care about helping people like me. Now, I am off the streets and I work in a job that allows me to help others who are going through what I went through. I feel so blessed to be able to give back to others.” DDB helps men and women become “whole” and self-sufficient. The Drop-In Center, the Soup Kitchen, and the Lunch Plus program all work to make it possible. Selma Drop-In Center Counselor