WELCOME FROM HAYWOOD STREET:
UPDATES:
Community—
We want you to know that we are following the updates regarding the mandated disruption of campsites and providing support to our unhoused Friends to the best of our ability.
In addition to our weekly community meals, we are now providing 120 meals, on both Wednesdays and Sundays, to those who were recently removed from their campsites and temporarily housed at the Ramada Inn and a second, undisclosed, location. We are also continuing to provide meals, twice weekly, to our unhoused Friends who continue to shelter at the Red Roof Inn.
We are grateful for our partners at Sunrise Recovery Community who are providing a number of on-site services at these hotels and we will continue to work closely with them in assessing the needs of these beloved community members who are experiencing exceptional uncertainty and displacement at this time.
Our gratitude goes out to The Allen Team! These friends of Haywood Street are not only participating in a campus cleanup day today, they are also hosting a donation drive! Here’s the details:
? Toothpaste
? New or gently used walking shoes and sandals
? New men’s & women’s underwear (sizes small – large)
? (2) Close tined pitchforks
? (2) Flat point shovels
? (2) Round point shovels
Drop off donations to 86 Asheland Ave. Asheville 28801 (ask for The Allen Team) Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The blue bin is no longer available for clothing closet donations. Please drop off seasonal items and camping gear on Tuesdays from 10am-noon around back by the white door. If this day and time does not work for you, please reach out to Hannah.
Fresco viewing hours are now Sundays 11:00-2:00 and Mondays-Thursdays 10:00-2:00. Contact April if you’d like to make a reservation for a different time.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
2. Haywood Street has multiple employment opportunities! More…
3. Sign up to provide a meal for Respite meal here!
4. Robert is inviting community participation in the garden and with campus maintenance Sunday-Thursday every week from 9am-12pm.
A HAYWOOD STREET REFLECTION BY: JENNIFER
I started doing my internship with Haywood Street back in 2020. My first job was in the clothing closet. At first, I thought it was just going to be hanging up clothes, but the more I worked, the more I realized how important the clothing closet was. Working with the homeless population has been a great joy.
Getting to know them and listening to their stories has helped me learn how to appreciate them. Receiving donations and going through each bag of clothes, hanging each piece up, thinking this is something I know they would wear.
The homeless often wind up wearing dirty and wet clothes for days making them vulnerable to the spread of transmissible disease, including Covid-19.
It is more important than ever that they have access to new and gently used donated clothing in a safe and respectful setting. Too often, they must pick through piles of clothes left on the ground or tables, and wind up with pants, shirts, or dresses that are ill-fitting, inappropriate, or even no longer clean. But Haywood Street does not operate that way. They want to make sure that the homeless community can pick and choose what they want from clothes hanging on racks. To me, it is like shopping at a store for free.
Haywood Street has a variety of shoes and personal care products which is a great need for this community. We have had people come and ask if we had some dress pants and shirts because they must be in court the next day or they have a doctor’s appointment to go to. We can make sure they have what they need.
We have many community members who live in the woods and need sleeping bags or a tent. Due to the generosity of the church members and donations from the community. Haywood Street can give tents, sleeping as well as tarps when available.
This is a wonderful ministry that serves not only the homeless community but anybody who needs clothes. Most of all you will meet people with friendly smile and a warm heart.
