Spirit of the Holidays -In the Park
Spende geschützt
The Spirit of the Holidays…In the Park
My family and I feel very fortunate to live the lives we do, in a home filled with family, love, and opportunity.
In 2014, on Christmas night, our whole family took a drive to Pleasant Hill Park. It was a very cold night. We came across a homeless man in the park, and we offered him a warm jacket. His name was Mike, he was beyond grateful. We talked with Mike for a while, and came to learn that he has a college degree from UC Santa Cruz and is well spoken. He had fallen on hard times, and he is now homeless.
We ran into Mike several times over the next year. One thing he told us that I will never forget…he thanked us for letting our children talk to him. He said that people view him and treat like a monster, and seem to be scared of him, because he is homeless. He said that letting him talk with our kids, and showing that we didn’t think he was a monster, made him feel like a normal human being again.
Over the years we have offered our assistance in a variety of ways. We have donated time and money to many excellent and worthwhile groups and organizations, some local and some not. Last December, in 2015, my family and I were looking for a way to help others in need.
We ran into Mike again the week before Christmas. He was in the park with several other homeless men; his friends. We asked them if we could bring them dinner on Christmas night. They graciously accepted. We asked how many would join them, and they told us about ten people total. Over the next week we planned and shopped for the dinner. And, since it was Christmas, we bought and wrapped gifts for all of them. On Christmas night we went back to the picnic table in the park. We set a nice table, lit a fire in the BBQ, and offered a warm Christmas dinner to all of them. Our girls also gave out presents to everyone there. They all got brand new sweatshirts, socks, hats, and gloves, and Mike got some new books too. Later that night we went back to the park. Mike and his friends were gathered around the fire pit talking and smiling. Mike told us that it was the nicest and happiest Christmas that he could remember. He told us that the holidays are a very tough time for him, and that he and his friends could not thank us enough for everything.
Our family has decided it is important to continue this tradition, and offer a warm Christmas dinner and gifts to Mike and his friends in Pleasant Hill Park in 2016. If anyone would like to help, we would be happy to put your donations to good use. If you would like to help on Christmas night, please reach out and let us know.
My family and I feel very fortunate to live the lives we do, in a home filled with family, love, and opportunity.
In 2014, on Christmas night, our whole family took a drive to Pleasant Hill Park. It was a very cold night. We came across a homeless man in the park, and we offered him a warm jacket. His name was Mike, he was beyond grateful. We talked with Mike for a while, and came to learn that he has a college degree from UC Santa Cruz and is well spoken. He had fallen on hard times, and he is now homeless.
We ran into Mike several times over the next year. One thing he told us that I will never forget…he thanked us for letting our children talk to him. He said that people view him and treat like a monster, and seem to be scared of him, because he is homeless. He said that letting him talk with our kids, and showing that we didn’t think he was a monster, made him feel like a normal human being again.
Over the years we have offered our assistance in a variety of ways. We have donated time and money to many excellent and worthwhile groups and organizations, some local and some not. Last December, in 2015, my family and I were looking for a way to help others in need.
We ran into Mike again the week before Christmas. He was in the park with several other homeless men; his friends. We asked them if we could bring them dinner on Christmas night. They graciously accepted. We asked how many would join them, and they told us about ten people total. Over the next week we planned and shopped for the dinner. And, since it was Christmas, we bought and wrapped gifts for all of them. On Christmas night we went back to the picnic table in the park. We set a nice table, lit a fire in the BBQ, and offered a warm Christmas dinner to all of them. Our girls also gave out presents to everyone there. They all got brand new sweatshirts, socks, hats, and gloves, and Mike got some new books too. Later that night we went back to the park. Mike and his friends were gathered around the fire pit talking and smiling. Mike told us that it was the nicest and happiest Christmas that he could remember. He told us that the holidays are a very tough time for him, and that he and his friends could not thank us enough for everything.
Our family has decided it is important to continue this tradition, and offer a warm Christmas dinner and gifts to Mike and his friends in Pleasant Hill Park in 2016. If anyone would like to help, we would be happy to put your donations to good use. If you would like to help on Christmas night, please reach out and let us know.
Organisator
Melanie Jurow
Organisator
Pleasant Hill, CA
