Yasher Koach to Shirley Grill and Dale Russakoff (Shomrei IHN Co-Chairs) and the multitudes of volunteers who worked so hard to host homeless families for two weeks in our shul! As part of The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Essex County, Shomrei takes a turn hosting homeless families. Twice per year, usually for one a week interval, Shomrei’s volunteers provide housing, food, childcare and companionship to the families.
This time there was a “hitch”. When notification came from IHN that another religious community had not been lined-up to take the families immediately after our week, Shirley and Dale rolled their sleeves up even higher and got to work. They organized an additional week of volunteers from our community and the wider IHN community.
Scores of people from Shomrei and other local religious congregations came to the aid of IHN and the families who were well taken care of during the additional week. I asked Shirley how it went.
Shirley Grill:
For me this week was about children who needed playmates and somehow, every time Ashawn (8 year old) asked if there was someone to play with, a child appeared. For example, on Saturday, Sam [Lasiter] stepped in to be Ashawn’s companion. And it was about multigenerational engagement–our older congregants read and engaged (playing the board-game “Sorry”) with the kids as much as our children did.
The two week stint was challenging — and it meant close to 100 volunteers from multiple congregations. This hosting connected the generations of our congregation–from preschool to retirement, and people of multiple faiths, all in the service of three families who needed shelter. It actually took more than a village this time–it took a whole town! Hope this helps — ask Sam if he has any thoughts!
Sam Lasiter:
Working with IHN was an interesting experience for me. I got to spend time with some of the kids, playing trains or drawing — things like that. It made me happy and sad. When one imagines a homeless person, they may think of a weatherbeaten “hobo”. But when these families walked in, they just seemed like normal families. Normal kids going to school, happy as ever. And the parents seemed like caring, responsible parents who just had some bad luck. I realized that this could happen to anyone.
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