Some of you know I volunteer actively in a local organization. Lately I have been participating to the daily life of the charity almost on a fulltime base.
The charity helps homeless people in the ‘recycling way’, they sell donated goods to fund the organizaion and try to live without any governmental aid. Homeless people can live at the organization (they call it ‘community) in exchange for daily work participation. There are some basic rules, like fulltime work, no alcohol or drugs on the properties.
Therefore the (former) homeless people get accomodation (they live inhouse), food, toiletries, second hand clothing and a small weekly allowance, as well as (very small) weekly holiday and ‘leaving’ savings. Don’t start dreaming, the total amount is under 50GBP (around 90USD) weekly, but together with the living costs I tend to think it pretty much sums up to a minimum wage. They can also equip their personal room with second hand furniture. To be honest a minimum wager has less luxury.
Anyway back to the topic. As a volunteer (I test electrical appliances and of course am their system administrator) I have earned some rights and nowadays I am more ‘consultant’ to the compagnons, as they call the inhouse homeless people, but also a listening ear to the daily moaning, which is the main occupation of most compagnons.
Weekly they hold a community meeting and due to my proximity with everyone and the management I assist those meetings. Today was one of those days. Intellect all over. ‘Homeless’ people changing the whole world.
Will it surprise anyone that among those people discipline, hygiene, respect for the other aren’t always their best character fit. So quite often the weekly meeting turns into a mere 20 minutes of stupid repeated ‘nuisances’ like cups training all over the place, people not washing up their dishes during the weekend (during week inhouse people cook and clean), dirty food plates being left in every imaginable corner and also drunk people hanging out in community areas. Remember alcohol is not allowed. I have lived several of those meetings, and occasionally they try to come up with solutions.
Today was one of those ‘huge problem days’. Problem was that ‘there were not enough of mugs for lunch time’. Of course everyone likes to drink something (mainly coffee) for lunch. And having no mug can be pretty annoying. Since I know the situation I and always take my own mug. This person, living in house (a mere 20 meter walking distance from the dining area, less than 10 meter from the working entrance) summed up my feeling 100%.
Surely I do have my own mug, but I can’t be asked to go to my room to collect it for lunch time. So can we make sure to have more mugs?
Everyone who knows me can imagine that I couldn’t resist and had to say something. So I reacted and changed the ‘item’.
Surely I do have a wife, but I can’t be bothered to visit her for lunch time. So can you make sure to call me a whore for lunch time?
General laughter. I mean WTF. Of course the above quoted person didn’t like my reaction. Could it be I said something wrong, because I surely didn’t want to ridiculize him.
For anyone wondering, I didn’t mention the charity here
a. because management and I are having a small conflict lately about ongoing practices;
b. because I don’t think this is the appropriate place to bash a charity, especially not since I am in contact with the management anyway.
5 have made me smarter ↓
1 Biologisvensk // May 31, 2006 at 10:22 pm// View all comments by Biologisvensk//
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One thing I’ve noticed with people is that when you’re in a rut, as the homeless of course are, you can either pick at everything around you or you can choose to pirck yourself up and make a change about your situation. The charity you volunteer at does seem to do what it can to help people change their situation, getting on their feet and of course getting to where they are self-sustained and no-longer needing its services. But then again there are those few who seem to be in their comfort zone. They don’t have to work their asses off, they’ve a roof over their head, and since it is their “home” they do whatever they want, choose whom they interact with, and if you’re deserving of their respect. They’re “homeless” what more do they have to lose (well of course the aid of the charity)? Plus being compagnons their current environment is the only thing they feel they do have some sort of power or control over, so of course you’re going to sit through those meetings, feeling like your dealing with…well…I suppose sometimes it feels like children.
The mug situation, that’s got to be a pain in the ass. There is no way to remedy it or maybe I’m not understanding. They just don’t have the adequate mug:persons ration for lunch but it’s ok for breakfast and supper? There is no way they can take some of their funds and invest in some inexpensive drinkware? Or no, you’re expected to drink from your hands like animals? Yeah, I’d be bringing my own mug as well. but what about the people they’re supposed to be helping? And your comeback to his remark did give me a giggle.
2 Franky // May 31, 2006 at 10:33 pm// View all comments by Franky//
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Which would put them ‘back on the street’.
Of course since I am a little more ‘familiar’ with the mug problem I didn’t go that much into detail and those small details might have been needed. Actually the problem is mainly due to the compagnons taking their mug and dragging it to their room or to their working area without bringing it back.
And if they would need mugs, I think they have approximatively 200 of them in their second hand store. But still that geezer was making a point out of his being too damn lazy to walk 15 meters more to get lunch (with a mug). Probably one of the 12 mugs I collected today and brought to the kitchen was one he used as well.
3 Biologisvensk // May 31, 2006 at 10:39 pm// View all comments by Biologisvensk//
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That detail helps greatly.
Then they need to quit their bitching, not bite the hand that feeds them, get off their sorry asses, and do something about it.
No mugs? Poor babies. It is their own damn fault then.
God, that would annoy the living hell out of me sitting through meetings filled of that shit. I don’t know how you do it. Spike your coffee with rum off-site then come back in. Or is it xanax?
4 Keb // May 31, 2006 at 11:22 pm// View all comments by Keb//
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I think it is great that you volunteer. More people should do so.
5 Franky // Jun 4, 2006 at 2:12 am// View all comments by Franky//
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Hey a new gravatar! :)