Local Services!!

Monday morning December 29, I picked up Gregg as he was gonna borrow the jeep again while I was at work, it works out really well esp since I had to take the jeep back from them and have a sense of guilt for doing so. Poor Gregg though he often has to deal with me a tad bit cranky in the morning..! (sorry dood)

So I pick him up and I am a tad bit bummed that the snow has melted in the lot near his place cuz I was really enjoying peeling through there on mornings I went to the Lab. I drive us up to my work place and we go up and get all the items I have bagged up that I cannot use on the streets; women and children’s clothes. Which I am thankful I have not run into either on the street. Well I did see one woman on Christmas Eve in the crowd of me but she was gone before I was free to ask her if she needed anything. I really wish I would’ve been able to talk to her.

Well we load up the jeep with about 10-12 bags, a few big garbage sized most waste bag size, and head on over to 10 Peterboro to the Detroit Central City Community Mental Health (DCCCMH ). (http://www.dcccmh.org/)

I called Mr. Johnson on our way over per his instructions the week before in his email to me. I do and he is a tad confused then remembers and excuses himself as he lost power and is still out, so many people were without, amen that I was not because I am totally unprepared if it happens (mental note-work on that)

He tells me he will call Mr. Lee and tells me to look for a bald crinkle static phone goes fuzzy tall black man and that he will call him to tell him I am on my way to get me some help. Ok! We get near and I see a man and he is looking at me so I roll the window down and ask if he is Mr. Lee. And yes he is! Wow what luck first person..so I start to tell him who I am and he is clueless then I ask him if he bald under his cap and he laughs at me and says he no way! And tells me there is another Mr. Lee in the next building! Bingo!
I go inside and he is there ..and I quickly learn that crinkle static phone goes fuzzy means VERY as in Tall. The man is a giant compared to me!

We shake and hug, he just had that feel about him that you wanted to hug him…kinda like the guys on Xmas Eve in Greek Town after awhile the hand shakes just weren’t cutting it!

Mr. Lee told us were we could bring the bags in and one of his men helped up so it was rather quick! He thank us and I wished them luck with there give away, and we were on our way!

This is twice that Gregg has helped me load items into my jeep from work and I am very grateful due to how much time he saves me! Oh and he told me awhile back that he even opened the back of the jeep once out in front of my work while he and Ang were waiting on me to help give a man in a wheel chair some clothes. That mans name told Gregg he knows my co-worker Ray. And come to find out his name is Keefe and I have come to learn that Ray helps him out a lot. I had actually seen Ray help this man some time ago right after we were becoming friends, I watched him from my car get out of his and go over to this man and chat with him. I had a feeling then that Ray and I would become good friends, and I am very happy to say we have. He is a great man and thankful to have him as my friend! And Gregg and Ang too…you guys are all great! Namaste!

So yea..Gregg takes me back to work where about 2pm Amber is hauling up a ton more loot from Ann Arbor where this stuff is just multiplying in her garage! We sort all the bags she brought up...and a ton is women’s clothes. By this time the DC3MH event is almost over so I decide to call around to find another place to take the new load of women and children’s clothes we separated from the men’s clothes and blankets I will use.

I decide to call Alternatives for Girls as they cater to homeless teens and their children and much to my surprise their donation area is full!! Yea..I ask the man I am chatting with if he could suggest some other places and he does; Freedom House (www.freedomhousedetroit.org/) which is a shelter for immigrants and there families, as is COTS (www.cotsdetroit.org) and he also gives me the number to Crossroads. (www.crossroadsofmichigan.org ) The first two numbers were busy but the other was answered by Mary.

She told they are not a shelter but offer food and clothes and social services to people. I ask if she would like my donation? She would! I make arrangements to meet her at 4, I get there after 4:30 due to not having my jeep but she was still there and let me in the back where there were other bags of donations. She asked me if I work for a group, or foundation I told her ‘No’ that I have just been collecting stuff with my co-worker and I drive stuff around.

She asked me where I go, I gave her a short list of places. She told me to be careful and I told her I am and that I have not had any issues, thankfully! We said our goodbyes and it was after this that I meet the guy at the Blvd near the 75 service drive I blogged about just before this one. Good day!