Making hunger personal

MILFORD — 'Tis the season to express thanks, and Calling All Angels Mission has much to be grateful for.

The mission, which operates the Calling All Angels Shoppe in Milford, recently hosted a successful awareness-raising concert about hunger and homelessness. Volunteers read several stories written by Pike County residents who had suffered these privations. A few of those in attendance spontaneously shared the stories of people they knew.

“This was something I had hoped would happen,” said Charles Reynolds, the thrift shop manager and a member of the board of directors. “A volunteer who was reading one of the stories got choked up right in the middle. Making the issues of hunger and homelessness among our own neighbors personal was the ultimate goal. If the problem is personal, it becomes important to us. When that happens, then things can really begin to change.”

The event was held at the Jen Murphy Fitness Studio in Milford in conjunction with the Ecumenical Food Pantry of Pike County and Pike County Hands of Hope. Musical performances were by Dr. Joe Cirello, Lenny Miller, Moving Still (Diane Arden and Maryann MacMahon Ford), Matthew King, Olivia Zinn, Broke Down and Rebuilt, and Charlie Reynolds.

This year, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week was from Nov. 14 through Nov. 22. This year's coalition theme was “These Storied Streets.”

The organizers not only wanted to raise awareness about two serious problems plaguing the country today, and explain how the faces of homelessness and hunger have changed. They wanted to make it personal.

The event also raised $430, plus the $75 fee for the venue donated back by Jen Murphy; three crates of food for the food pantry; four bags of clothes for Calling All Angels; and over a dozen blankets for Hands of Hope.

“I want to personally thank everyone who volunteered and attended the event,” said Reynolds. “I especially want to thank all the musicians who donated their time and talent, and were on board as soon as I asked. We put this together in such a short time, I was afraid we wouldn't be able to reach many people. Next year, we will be planning the event well in advance. And maybe have a surprise or two as well.”

Anyone unable to attend can still donate online until Christmas to help tackle hunger and homelessness in Pike County at GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/wz7rqerj. Or they can stop in the Calling All Angels Thrift Shoppe and drop off a donation of cash or food or clothing.