A Model for Stillpoint
Jessica Egan has been writing about homelessness for the New Yorker Magazine for several years. An article that she wrote this last September was inspirational. What has been done by many organizations in Manhattan, New York highlights the trajectory of success and failure as well as the key role of relationships of kindness and generosity. Here is an excerpt from Ms. Egan’s September 2023 article.
“Outreach workers (paid and volunteers) are also a presence in the lives of most people who live outdoors. In New York. A handful of non-profits– Breaking Ground, CUCS, Goddard Riverside, BronxWorks, Project Hospitality, and the Bowery Residents Committee (BRC) coordinate with the systematic canvassing of all five boroughs, including subways, in round-the-clock shifts seven days a week. Outreach teams must also respond within two hours to 311 calls reporting a problem that involves a homeless individual. (Homeless people may report themselves as a way of requesting help.) These teams of at least two, hand out supplies – bottled water and sunscreen in summer, socks and handwarmers in winter -- and perform wellness checks, particularly during Code Blue and Red periods when temperatures are extreme. A psychiatrist and a physician or nurse practitioner accompany each outreach team once a week to treat patients at their street locations. At the end of each shift outreach teams enter notes into a central database; listing what interactions took place, Breakiing Ground’s corporate partnerships like the one with Macy’s operate in addition to this structure.”
“Off the Streets,” The New Yorker, September 18 2023
In Santa Cruz we have Bread and Roses and Stillpoint (both understaffed and underfunded who do this kind of “on location” connection.) The lesson that Ms. Egan highlights is that progress with the unhoused population over the past 30 years in Manhattan necessitated “in person” and “on location” connection.
“Experiencing Beliefs”
Our next retreat is soon, Wednesday, January 24th, from 9 am to 3 pm at the Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center. At our next retreat we will be exploring the experience of beliefs and belief systems. Why is it that some beliefs we carry with absolute certainty, such as there is no Santa Claus. While other beliefs such as I am a valuable and worthwhile individual, we often carry with far less confidence. Is trust and belief something that is random and unmanageable or are there resources within us that enable us to realign our internal systems with the realities of faith, love and certainty. Habakkuk, St. Paul and Martin Luther all said, “The just shall live by faith.” Maybe they’re on to something. We just need to grow in accessing the precious resource of faith and trust. Join us and kindly RSVP!
Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center
21918 East Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA
(831) 475-1236
Saturday Bridge Building this Week
We are back again this week distributing bagels and socks and lots of other items up and down the San Lorenzo River eventually wending our way over to the Clock Tower with the winter gear, socks and bagels. Let me know if you’d like to join us. We depart my place at 12:15 while at the Clock Tower we enjoy 10 minutes of silence in the presence of that life force that surrounds us and is within us all. The message we bring is that generosity is more than supplying food and clothing is not principally transactional, it’s a spiritual regardless of what beliefs we may have. Reinforcing that connection is foundational to resolving the issue of homelessness, at least that is how Jessica Egan saw it in her New Yorker magazine article.
Stillpoint does not have a stockpile of clothing, socks or bedding. We need your donations. If you have any of these items and would like to donate them, please do so. Stillpoint and the unhoused community are grateful for all donations. If you would like to support us financially in our bridge-building ministry contact us at Stillpoint: Joel@stillpoint.world or (831)419-8290 or https://stillpoint.world
Centering Prayer, and Lectio Divina
Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina meets as always, this Tuesday, Mardi Gras 01/13at 8 am. At 8pm there will be no meeting as I will be celebrating Mardi Gras with the wonderful people at Trinity Chapel in San Jose. Attached is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8352995499?pwd=RllrMlRrd2VTNFdZZW1hQTBTRDg3QT09
In the beauty of God’s love,
Joel+