3/7/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #66

I Grew Up In A Small Town That Not Many Folks Heard Of, We Didn’t Even Have A Gas Station, But Together As A Community We Came Together During Tough Times. In Another Small Town Called Ludington, Michigan A Community Mimics My Old Town In The Ways They Too Come Together. Located In Ludington Is An Organization Called C.O.V.E. – Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters. C.O.V.E. Provides Many Services To Battered, Distraught, Depressed And Even Addicted Women. They Offer Hot Meals, An Amazing Professional Staff And A 14 Bed Emergency Shelter For Those Need Immediate Refuge. They’ve Helped Over 5500 People Since 1979. They Are Located At 906 East Ludington Ave., Ludington, MI 49431.

3/6/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #65

Sometimes Having To Move Into A Shelter Isn’t About Being Homeless At All, Sometimes A Person May Not Be Well Enough To Take Care Of Themselves And Actually Go On To Seek Professional Help. In The LaSalle Gardens Section Of Detroit, MI There’s A Place Just Like That. It’s A Place Called The Coffer Adult Foster Care Center And Then Offer Three Warm Meals A Day To Adults Who Are Seeking The Refuge From Those Around Them And To Ascend From Dependant To Independant. This Is A Place Where One Can Go And Become Accepted And Embraced From A Warm, Caring, Professional And Loving Staff. Each Resident Has Their Own Private Living Space And Cable Access Television. The Coffer Adult Foster Care Center Is Located At 2541 Lamothe Street, Detroit, Michigan 48206.

2/10/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #41

Good Evening, And Thank You For Joining Us Once Again. Welcome, One And All, To Shelter Spotlight #41. Tonight, We Enter A Place That Offers Plenty Of Warmth On Even The Coldest Of Days. There Is No Snow Pile Too High, Or Barrier Too Big For The Ministry Of Caring, Inc. Located In Wilmington, Delaware. Even Though The State Of Delaware Is Pretty Small In Size, The Ministry Of Caring, Inc. Is One The Most Sophisticated Soup Kitchen And Shelter Operations In The Country. Under The Wonderful Direction Of Ms. Barbara Kreuer, The Ministry Of Caring, Inc. Offers Three Separate Hope Houses, A Transitional Living Program, The Emmanuel Dining Room, A Catering Hall For Community Enriched Events And Many Other Projects Dedicated To The Well Being Of Those Who Are Less Fortunate Within The Surrounding Communities. The Ministry Of Caring, Inc. Is Located At 506 North Church Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

“It is our belief that the poor should never be served poorly, but with love, dignity and respect. All Ministry of Caring programs offer hospitality and friendship, while striving to meet basic needs, and help the poor attain self-sufficiency. Our staff and volunteers minister to the poor by offering them not only the necessities of life—food, shelter, and employment—but also by helping restore their sense of self worth and hope for the future. The Ministry of Caring Inc. is committed to serving the ongoing needs of the poor: food for the hungry, shelter, transitional living, and permanent housing for the homeless, jobs for the unemployed, clothing and furniture for the needy, child care for homeless children, medical and dental services for the poor, and advocacy as well as outreach for the disenfranchised“. – From Their Website – http://www.ministryofcaring.org

2/8/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #39

Good Evening Ladies & Gents! Tonight We Focus On A Place That’s Offering Shelter To Not Only The Homeless, But Rather To Those In Situations That Might Harmful To Themselves Or Even Others. Tonight We Are Going To Feature Compass House. Under The Direction Of Sylvia Nadler, Compass House Goes Beyond The Generic Definition Of Homelessness And Provides Opportunity To Those Who May Be Less Fortunate. Sometimes When We’re Going To And From Work We See The Man Playing His Guitar Or The Woman Walking With A Crutch, But Rarely Do We See A Child From An Unbearable Broken Home, Or A Child Literally Left For Dead By Unwanting Parents. For Those Children There Is A New Ray Of Hope And That Is The Compass House. The Compass House Is Located At 370 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14209. They Can Be Reached By Phone (If During A Crisis) At: (716) 886-0935. If Calling During Normal Business Hours They Can Be Reached By (716) 886-1351.

“Safe Place began in Louisville, Kentucky in 1983 as an outreach effort of the YMCA Center for Youth Alternatives. The Safe Place program began in response to the many calls to the shelter from young people who did not have a way to get there. As a result, many youth trying to cope with personal or family crisis situations never reached the shelter. To address this issue, Project Safe Place was developed, designating businesses and community buildings as locations where youth could easily access help. Its’ success has prompted the implementation of this youth shelter outreach program in 714 communities throughout the United States“. – From Their Website – http://www.compasshouse.org

2/5/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #36

Howdy! Tonight As Most Of You Are Bracing For The Worst Here In The Northeast, I Wanted To Actually Head Out West And Tell You About The Portland Rescue Mission. These Folks Have Seriously Redefined The Word Mission. They Have Fantastic Programs For Women & Children, As Well As A Great Program For Men. They Offers An Amazing Shelter, Great Rehab Programs And Hearty Meals. With Three Seperate Locations They Cover An Enormus Amount Of Ground. One Of The Neat Things About Portland Rescue Mission Is That They Are Able To Accept Older & Used Automobiles In Exchange For A Tax Write-Off. They Are Located At 111 West Burnside, Portland, Oregon 97209.

 

“The faithful support of our donors helps us provide more than 230,000 meals a year, plus shelter, 24-hour restrooms, mail service and other essentials to people in desperate need. Our goal is to help men, women and children find freedom from homelessness, hunger and addiction. With nowhere to turn, many of these women are trapped in addiction, without shelter and basic necessities, completely without hope”. – From Their Website – http://www.portlandrescuemission.org

2/4/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #35

Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, And Welcome To The 35th Installment Of Hatter & Beanz. Tonight We Head West, And Feature For You, The Works Of An Amazing Homeless Shelter Located In Rosevile, CA. The Folks At The Gathering Inn Provide Nearly 17,000 People A Place To Lay Their Head Each Year. That’s Pretty Impressive If You Ask Me. Not Only Are They Accomplishing That Number, But They Accept Folks Both Young And Old As Well. The Gathering Inn Is Located At 201 Berkeley Ave., Roseville, CA 95678.

“On a cold day in January 2004, a group of ministers in Placer County met to talk about a longstanding problem in the community—there was no safe and warm place for people to go if they lacked housing during the coldest months of the year. The ministers represented many different faiths, but felt united in their desire to help those who were suffering each night in the cold. Together, the ministers imagined gathering those who were homeless into the warmth of their churches, to provide supper, overnight accommodations and hospitality. They discussed the nomadic model of care, which had been used successfully in many other parts of the country. It was a simple concept that appealed to them: the site of the hosting church would change from one night to the next“.  – From Their Website – http://www.thegatheringinn.com

You See, All It Takes Is One Night, One Idea And The Rest Is History. Have A Great Night Folks.

2/3/2010 – Shelter Spotlight #34

Hey There! I Wanted To Continue Our Theme Of Focusing On A Few Of Groups From Up North By Spotlighting The Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf Of Burlington, Vermont. It Is Certainly Colder In New England These Days And Homelessness And Hunger Don’t Shy Away When The Weather Gets Rough. Through The Efforts Of The Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, The Hungry And Homeless Are Able To Warm Up To A Hot Meal Filled With Some Extra TLC. Under The Direction Of Rob Meehan And His Amazing Staff, Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf Gives Back To Not Only Immediate Community But To The Surrounding Areas As Well. This Wonderful Organization Is Located At 228 North Winooski Drive, Burlington, VT And Can Be Reached By phone At: (802) 658-7939.

“Our flagship program is our food shelf, where we provide a monthly five-day supply of groceries to families in need. We also offer fresh produce and bread three days per week. Providing a wide variety of nutritional and easy-to-make food has long been a priority for CEFS, and it continues to be a challenge that we strive to meet“. From Their Website http://www.feedingchittenden.org

2/1/2010 – Shelter Spotlight Rewind (Jan. 2010)

Hey Readers And Fans !!! I Just Wanted To Say Thank You For Supporting Hatter & Beanz During Our First Full Month Being Published. It’s Been One Heck Of Journey, And As We Move Forward I’d Ask That All Of You Comment On The Blog Itself From Time To Time. We’ve Had Some Great Posts And Awesome Highlights, And We Look Forward To Providing As Much Detail As Possible Regarding The Ways You Can Give Back. That Being Said I’ve List All The Soup Kitchens We’ve Featured And Not Only Their Links But The Blog Post Links For Reference As Well. Enjoy Your Day.

1. Jan. 1st 2010 – Rose of Sharon Soup Kitchen – Huntsville, AL – Shelter Spotlight #1
2. Jan. 2nd 2010 – The Queens Galley – Kingston, NY – Shelter Spotlight #2
3. Jan. 3rd 2010 - Monroe Community Kitchen - Bloomington, IN – Shelter Spotlight #3
4. Jan. 4th 2010 – The Seeds Of Hope Food Pantry- Parma Heights, OH – Shelter Spotlight #4
5. Jan. 5th 2010 – Open Door Community – Atlanta, GA – Shelter Spotlight #5
6. Jan. 6th 2010 – The Hoboken Shelter – Hoboken, NJ – Shelter Spotlight #6
7. Jan. 7th 2010 – The Healing Place – Louisville, KY – Shelter Spotlight #7
8. Jan. 8th 2010 – Homestead Soup Kitchen – Homestead, FL – Shelter Spotlight #8
9. Jan. 9th 2010 – Cathedral Kitchen – Camden, NJ – Shelter Spotlight #9
10. Jan. 10th 2010 – Jubilee Women’s Center – Seattle, WA – Shelter Spotlight #10
11. Jan. 11th 2010 – The Alpha Project – San Diego, CA – Shelter Spotlight #11
12. Jan. 12th 2010 – The Nasua Soup Kitchen – Nashua, NH – Shelter Spotlight #12
13. Jan. 13th 2010 – The Shepherds Table – Raleigh, NC – Shelter Spotlight #13
14. Jan. 14th 2010 – The Capuchin Soup Kitchen – Detroit, MI – Shelter Spotlight #14
15. Jan. 15th 2010 – St. Matthew’s House – South Naples, FL – Shelter Spotlight #15
16. Jan. 16th 2010 – City Union Mission – Kansas City, MO – Shelter Spotlight #16
17. Jan. 17th 2010 – Bethlehem House – Conway, AR – Shelter Spotlight #17
18. Jan. 18th 2010 – UMOM New Day Center – Mesa, AZ – Shelter Spotlight #18
19. Jan. 19th 2010 – Catholic Charities – Alexandria, VA – Shelter Spotlight #19
20. Jan. 20th 2010 – Pauls Place – Baltimore, MD – Shelter Spotlight #20
21. Jan. 21st 2010 – Someone Cares Kitchen – Costa Mesa, CA – Shelter Spotlight #21
22. Jan. 22nd 2010 – Muncie Mission – Muncie, IN – Shelter Spotlight #22
23. Jan. 23rd 2010 – Open Pantry Community – Springfield, MA – Shelter Spotlight #23
24. Jan. 24th 2010 – The Samaritan Inn – McKinney, TX – Shelter Spotlight #24
25. Jan. 25th 2010 – Holy Family Church – Columbus, OH – Shelter Spotlight #25
26. Jan. 26th 2010 – Poverello Center – Missoula, MT – Shelter Spotlight #26
27. Jan. 27th 2010 – El Caldito Soup Kitchen - Las Cruces, NM – Shelter Spotlight #27
28. Jan. 28th 2010 – Idaho Falls COC – Idaho Falls, ID – Shelter Spotlight #28
29. Jan. 29th 2010 – St. Lukes Church – New York, NY – Shelter Spotlight #29
30. Jan. 30th 2010 – The Potters Wheel – Evansville, IN – Shelter Spotlight #30
31. Jan. 31st 2010 – Bread Of Life – Augusta, ME – Shelter Spotlight #31

Have Fun Catching Up With Our Previous Posts. Enjoy Your Week Folks !!!

1/29/2010 – Shelter Spotlight

Hey There! Tonight, I Get To Go Back Home, And Feature A Local Soup Kitchen Of Sorts. When I Was Younger Lad, Roughly 3-4 Years Ago I Used Hang With My Fellow Irishmen In Times Square, New York City. Today, As A Much Older And Wiser Man, I Can Appreciate Some Of The Great People And Great Organizations NYC Has To Offer. One Of Those Groups Are The Folks Who Twice A Week Offer Up A Meal To Hungry And Homeless That Gather At Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church In New York City. The Soup Kitchen Is Open Every Tuesday And Thursday At 1:00PM. Saint Luke’s Is Located At 308 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036.

“Tradition tells us that Saint Luke was a physician, the author of the third Gospel.  As such he has been for centuries the patron saint of healing.  We invite all people to join us at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church – The Lutheran Church of Times Square“. – From Their Website.

1/27/2010 – Shelter Spotlight

Hey Folks, Happy Wednesday !! Welcome To Another Edition Of Shelter Spotlight. Today Our Year Long Journey Takes To The Wonderful City Of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Located In The Heart Of Las Cruces Is The El Caldito Soup Kitchen Where Nearly 60,000 Wonderful People Are Served Each Year. The El Caldito Soup Kitchen, Under The Guidance Of Gabe Chavez, Provides Hot Meals For The Hungry Of Las Cruces And The Surrounding Areas. The El Caldito Soup Kitchen Is Located At 999 West Amador, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005. They Can Be Reached By At (575) 525-3831.

“Our mission is to prepare and serve meals free of charge to individuals, children and families without regard to race, creed, gender, ages, sexual orientation, handicap, religion, veteran status, income, or national origin. El Caldito provides a complete, nourishing meal, using available provisions, to all who come to our door. Hunger and need are our only criteria. A hot prepared meal is served every weekday (Monday through Friday) from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and a carry-out sack lunch on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to noon. The soup kitchen opens at 8:30 during the week and 9 a.m. on Saturday to prepare meals and process donated foods“. – From Their Website – http://www.elcaldito.com/