2020 September
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
Here we are again…another summer season has ended.
But, boy is it hot! The heat is still sweltering on some days.
When you drive around town, you can see homeless people tucked in corners or under a tree or beside structures trying to find shade as they wait for the sun to go down for the evening. That’s about the only relief they can find.
They are hot…and hungry…and thirsty.
Can you imagine how that feels? It’s almost unbearable at times.
Most of us can just walk into our kitchen and get a cold glass of ice water any time we’d like. We can also enjoy sitting in an air-conditioned room as we eat a meal or a snack, made within our own homes.
It’s not that way for those who are living on the streets, or for the large number of people who do not earn enough income to make ends meet.
Our Lifeline of Hope mobile food and hygiene truck is the answer for many. The truck drives around town every day on specific routes and stops to provide bottled water, food, hygiene items, and other necessary staples to those who are experiencing the insecurity of not having enough…of anything.
In this hot weather, dehydration is a very real possibility. It is a serious matter to us. We are always in need of bottled water and individual food items to keep those, who do not have the means to provide for themselves, hydrated and fed.
It’s a daily concern.
Can you imagine being very thirsty and not being able to quench that thirst with water?
It’s a frustrating situation.
Exposure to the hot sun affects more than just a person’s skin. Extreme heat can cause excessive dryness to the whole body – inside and out – which can lead to more than just being thirsty. Prolonged exposure to high heat can also cause heat exhaustion or stroke.
Without water, dehydration is a definite possibility.
Bottled water is a staple item handed out from our Lifeline of Hope truck. Water is needed for every cell of the body to help regulate its temperature and carry out its normal functions. So, it’s vital to rehydrate with fluids and food regularly.
Water and food are very treasured gifts to those on the streets. It’s one way we can reach out to them, to create some kind of relationship of trust. Most on the street are leery of those who may try to help them. They’ve lost their sense of trust. So, our goal is to help built a relationship and then to encourage them to seek a way to better their lives.
It’s a continual process.
We could sure use your help to provide some of the necessities of life for so many in our city. When you buy items at the store for your monthly needs, would you please consider buying a little extra to donate to us?
Bottled water and individualized-packaged food items are on-going essential needs.
You can take donations to our shelter location at 4500 2nd Street SW. Or if it’s easier, you can mail in a gift for the purpose of buying those items. Another option is to go to www.joyjunction.org to donate by using your credit card.
Any and all help is very much appreciated!
