My aunt and I left the airport right when we got off the plane around 8:30 a.m. We took a bus to Framingham where my uncle picked us up. We drove to my aunt’s house where I collected my keys and I drove directly to work.
I arrived at work around 10:15 a.m. My outreach partner Ezekiel and I spent some time at the shelter going over the things that I missed in the last 3 days.
James from one of the women’s recovery houses that the non-profit that I work for owns was at the shelter and is going to accompany us for outreach today. We all piled into the outreach truck and began to drive around to show Jake some of the homeless encampments. While we were out driving and looking for homeless people in the street, Jesus received a call that Patrick was waiting for him at the shelter to go into treatment. The Outreach team returned back to the shelter where Ezekiel began the process of finding a detox for Patrick. James and Marshall went back out into the field to deliver sandwiches, drinks, socks, hats, underwear, narcan and clothes to people that are homeless.
First James and I stopped by The railroad tracks near Mr tux where we looked to see if there were any tents left, it seemed that The metal fabrication company that owns the land had leveled the area and made it inhabitable for homeless people.
Next James and I l went to the encampment behind Kelly’s furniture, where we met with Jose and Ray. We provided them with food and drinks.
James and I went to the encampment under the bridge next. There we engaged with Jess, Christopher, and we provided them with food, drinks, socks and some hats.
Next James and I stopped at the faith-based homeless day shelter where we engaged with Giselda and Tito. This couple wanted a shelter space which we were not able to provide due to not having available beds. Giselda was also seriously impaired from a past stroke. She seemed to need more intensive medical care. After instructing Giselda and Tito on different options including the shelter in Boston, the hospital, and possibly calling shelters in Lowell and Haverhill, they asked if they could come by the shelter tomorrow to pick up some clothes and other gear, which I said was fine.
At 1:30 p.m. I brought James back to the shelter because he had to go to The women’s recovery house to do some work. While I was driving I received a calendar notification for the embrace meeting, which included a lot of local providers. It was at the justice program center on River Street so I drove over there just to talk about the shelter and the Street Outreach Program and do some networking.
This was a pretty large affair, and it was good to see everybody at the embrace meeting, people I knew, and people I didn’t.
When I returned back to the shelter, Ezekiel informed me that he was able to secure a bed for Patrick, so I did an intake into the homeless information system and entry into the rapid rehousing system for Patrick.
I left work a little after 5:00 p.m. and I drove to my campsite where I settled in for the night. I was very tired from traveling and not sleeping that much the night before. It’s been cold at night. But nothing like January or February.