UPDATED: Please click here to sign up for the event!

trash near the bridge

On Saturday, July 26, together, those that are homeless and the non-homeless will gather in South Dallas to pick up the trash on the streets.

This is not meant to be just a service project, but a coming together in community to care for an area of town that is often forgotten.

Ever since we washed feet, people have been wanting to have another event. The enthusiasm is amazing! However, we have not wanted to plan something just for the sake of having an event.

To me, feet washing was special because it was organic in its development. Many different people came together to give their time and their resources to make feet washing happen. Those who are homeless joined us in everything we did. As I said in a recent newsletter, it wasn't "us" and "them" but all of us coming together.

We wanted the next "event" to be organic, meaning that whatever we did next was actually something that was needed. It just so happens that the organic need that arose is picking up trash.

For over a year, a lovely, formerly homeless woman used to spend many days in our little neighborhood cleaning the streets. No one paid her; she picked up all the trash simply out of love for the community. Recently she has been unable to meet this need, and trash has been piling up in a big way (as you can see from the pictures). The homeless people in the area have picked up what they can, but lack the resources and manpower to resolve the problem.

So it seems like a natural fit: the homeless and non-homeless coming together to clean up the neighborhood. I have already talked to some of the homeless about this idea. They are hugely in favor of our working together to do this!

Here are the details:

Saturday, July 26

Schedule

9 a.m. -- volunteer arrival

-- coffee, breakfast food to share, and prayer

9:30 a.m. -- start picking up trash in small groups

11:00 a.m. -- wrap up and go home!

Location

Meet at the corner of Malcolm X and Dawson Street in South Dallas (click here to see a map of the location). You can park in front of the large gray building with "CitySquare" written on the side.

(If you need to plug in an address, use 1610 S. Malcolm X Blvd, even though we will be meeting one block further south from this address.)

Attire

Please wear something comfortable that can also get dirty. Since we are picking up trash of different varieties, you will want to be sure you wear an outfit that covers your body and could easily be washed!

Supplies

Heavy duty gloves and garbage bags will be provided.

the pile of trash at the corner of Dawson and Malcolm X