Please Help with Camp Unity's Move - March 1 and 2

It’s time again on March 1 and 2 to move Camp Unity Eastside!  We depend on volunteers like you to help us in packing, moving and setting up the community and personal tents, platforms, and camp supplies.  Won’t you join us?   It’s a great opportunity to meet and work along side men and women of the camp and other volunteers in the community.  See below for more info on ways to help with the move, needed supplies and meals.

Move Essentials

• Current camp location: 17401 133^rd Avenue NE, Woodinville.  Next to the Carol Edwards Center on the Woodinville City Hall campus
• New camp location: St. Jude Parish, 10526 166^th Avenue NE, Redmond

Day	Tentative Schedule and Logistics
Friday, March 1	8:30 am to 5 pm:  Planned start is at St. Jude Parish, Redmond.  Focus will be on unloading trucks and setting up community tents and platforms.
Saturday, March 2	8 am start, duration to be determined: Planned start is at the Woodinville site to pack up and move any remaining items and finish site clean-up, and then complete camp set up at St. Jude Parish site

Let Us Know You Can Join

Sign up here: Camp Unity Spring 2019 Move

We’ll update you on move logistics including updates for start times and locations

What to Bring

• Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, sturdy shoes, gloves, and rain gear if needed
• Tools:  We need several cordless drills, Phillips head bit size #2 and fully charged batteries
• Bring personal water and snacks.  Lunch will most likely be provided.
• Trucks and trailers are greatly appreciated
• Kids are welcome

Want to Help By Providing Supplies or a Meal?

• Provide supplies from the needs list for the move such as zip ties, duct tape and work gloves.  Please bring donated supplies to Camp Unity in Woodinville by February 25.
• Provide a breakfast, lunch or dinner during the move. Email Lori for more info if you can help.

Thank you for helping the men and women of Camp Unity in this tremendous way!

Ordinary people helping others

Recently Greater Seattle Cares volunteer David Baum did a radio interview with Mind over Matters of KEXP 90.3 FM.

David is the founder of his own non-profit called Rumblecrash, and in this article he talks about his work with homeless communities in Seattle.

Take a listen!

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First Visit to a Homeless Camp

 By Christy Houghton 

I’m a new writer for Greater Seattle Cares (GSC). This is my first article. Before volunteering with GSC, my experience with the homeless came from the TV news, and seeing (and smelling) drunk and dirty people begging on the streets near Pike Place Market or Pioneer Square in Seattle. So, when I made my first visit to Camp United We Stand, an organized, self-managed transitional encampment in Shoreline, I was in for some surprises.

Safer Than My Own Neighborhood 
I live in the suburbs, where a woman can walk alone at night - alert, but unafraid. My neighborhood, though, doesn't have anywhere near the level of security that I found at Camp United We Stand. Only one entrance to the small homeless encampment; and before going in further, a camp resident politely insisted that I write the time, my name, and purpose for the visit in their guest notebook. He also warned me that no alcohol or drugs are permitted in the camp.

Wary but Welcoming 
Before my visit, I told myself that I had no business at a homeless camp, and the people there would resent my presence. I’d thought that homeless people preferred to be invisible in our society, and steeled myself for hostility or at least indifference. Then I met Christopher, Tom, Monty, and Isaac. They welcomed me to the camp with kindness, and willingly posed for pictures after hearing that I was a new writer for GSC. I learned that just like everyone else, they want to be seen and heard and respected.

Isaac and Bowser, outside of Camp United We Stand

Cleaner Than You'd Think 
Everyone I met appeared as clean as people without a shower on premises could possibly be expected to look. The camp was well-maintained, orderly, and spotless. If I hadn’t known it was a homeless camp, I might’ve asked about the campground rates.

Some Problems are Small Enough to Fix 
Christopher was one of the three resident ECs (elected Executive Council member) that week, and in charge. When he showed me the Donation Tent, Christopher pointed out that they were short on men’s pants, sizes 30-39. They also needed a stapler before Move Day. I have an extra stapler at home. I had thought that if you help the homeless, you enable the homeless problem to continue. Greater Seattle Cares helped me see that people must have their basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and safety met before they can even think about next steps to improve their lives.

Even Little Things Make a Difference 
Before volunteering as a writer for GSC, I worried that it would make me feel bad to know more about the homeless problem because it’s so big that I couldn’t make a difference. I learned that even little things make a difference. Listening to someone, and speaking with respect and warmth. Writing about real people in our community, who want to be seen and heard. I can do these things.

What’s New with GSC?

The 3 camps we formally support have all recently moved.
Here are their new locations and some of their immediate needs and concerns:

Tent City 3 (TC3) 
University Congregational United Church of Christ
4515 16th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105

TC3 is in need of tents, batteries, protein based foods and general beverages.

Camp Unity Eastside 
Blessed Theresa of Calcutta Catholic Church 
17856 NE Woodinville Duvall Rd, Woodinville, WA 98077

 CUE’s current location does not have power so they are in need of propane.

Camp United We Stand (CUWS) 
Haller Lake UMC 
13005 1st Ave NE Seattle WA 98125

UWS is requesting beverages of all types. We will be bringing them some bowls and cups this week. While these are the camps we formally support we also entertain requests from other encampments.

Funding 
Our board has submitted grant requests and hopes to hear back on these soon. We have submitted a grant request to the Fales Foundation to fund replacing tents in TC3, CUE, and UWS. We have also submitted a grant proposal to the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, and we are planning a big push for donations through the Seattle Foundation’s “Give Big” campaign.

MTI Van
The van visited TC3 in both January and February, and our next visit is planned for May 14th.

Communication 
Don’t forget to check out our blogs.

Other Topics of Interest 
We need Facebook support. If you have not already send us a friend request and please like and share our posts.

Here are some ideas the board is considering. These are just thoughts for now, but let us know if any of these items is of particular interest to you. These are just ideas for now.

• Building a storage shed so we can hold more donations 
• Helping facilitate micro loans for campers who have ideas for their own businesses 
• Crowd Funding to support a defined initiative. We sure would love to update or replace the TC3 shower trailer. 

If you would like more detail on any of these topics please contact Info@GreaterSeattleCares.org and we will respond.

Thank you all, and thank you for caring about the camps!

A Special Day at Tent City 3

Saturday was a special day at Tent City 3.


Medical Teams International once again brought their mobile dental clinic to the camp.


Under the skillful coordination of MTI Royalty Ellen Broyles, thirteen TC3 residents received urgent dental care at the skilled hands of Dr. Marc Fairbanks and dental assistant Lora Ewing, while dental hygienist Patsy Cosgrove did the dental cleanings.


“She’s a real artist,” said one camper as he left her chair.


Also, the camp received an incredible donation from Joint Base Lewis-McChord of 600 MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). These military rations are self-contained, self-heating, and have a shelf life of 17 years – and I can attest that they are actually pretty tasty! They also brought a donation from Animal World Rescue: 640 lbs of dog food to help keep the camp’s pets as well-fed as their human companions. This donation was arranged by a wonderful young woman who volunteers with Animal World Rescue and her husband, who works at JBLM.

 

The visitors were given a tour of the camp, and they stayed for several hours discussing with camp leaders how other items that are sometimes scheduled for disposal at JBLM could be used by the homeless encampments in the Puget Sound region. What a great connection with two big-hearted people with very practical brains! 

Many, many thanks to our JBLM/AWR friends!