Samaritan House Christmas Challenge

So, here we are. A time of year where reflection and contemplation are valued as we look back over the past year and think about what has happened. As the holiday season looms on the horizon, its easy to kick back into cruise control and simply coast into 2014. I mean, we've all earned a little respite from the hustle and bustle and chaos of the year. Time to relax, right? Enjoy our friends and families and the 3,000 college football bowls about to begin.

Hmm... Sounds nice.

Or, what if we bucked conventional thought and ended the year with a flurry of activity? What if we fought aganist the logical and rational ideas of rest and relaxation and made ourselves very uncomfortable instead? For those interested, I would like to propose an idea absurd enough that it might just change the culture and social landscape of Kalispell. For lack of a better name, lets call it the Samaritan House Christmas Challenge. Here's how it works:

From now until the end of the year, do one thing every day that is inconvenient and a hassle and will cause you to wince. Do one thing every day that focuses on helping or blessing another person simply for the sake of it. Forget accolades and notoriety or being recognized as Philanthropist of The Year. Exhibit kindness because it the right thing to do. I won't tell you how or what this looks like. It can be anything from dropping off a donation to holding a door open so a few more people can walk through.

If this seems trite or silly or a waste, then I fear you have forgotten what it feels like to be the recipient of such an act of kindness that your whole day changes. We can change the course of people's lives by simply being kind. Performing such random acts of kindness might just inspire others to do the same. So, this is the challenge I propose. Lets end the year proactively, doing for others.

Christmas on Minimum Wage

Lately, there have been a few stories in the national media chronicling food service workers and the low pay they receive. Some of the lowest paying jobs in America are tied to this industry. Over the years, I can recall many of our residents who found employment with various fast food restaurants around Kalispell, so this issue has a profound effect on those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

 In July, Forbes magazine interviewed Carman Iverson, a 28-year-old minimum-wage McDonald's worker in Kansas City, Missouri, who has four children.  Many people think finding any job is a cure for not being homeless, but the article detailed the utter impossibility of making ends meet on the wage, especially in an industry that limits workers' hours.

Taken from the interview:  Iverson said she started working in 2012 at $7.25 an hour, and makes $7.35 an hour now after Missouri adjusted the minimum wage. She makes between $400 and $600 a month. Her rent is $650 a month. When asked how she could pay her rent on those wages, she said she had a landlord who works with her. "I'm kind of on my last little leg, because I've been late on rent. I'm actually behind three months in rent.

"Sometimes I can pay it, sometimes I can't. I get paid twice a month, and both checks go to rent and the rest of it goes to utilities to the point where I don't have any money left to buy anything for my kids -- to buy them clothes, shoes or anything they need." She said she manages to feed her four children on $543 worth of food stamps a month.

Many single parents are in the same position as Iverson, living check to check and day to day. Without an accommodating landlord, she would likely be out on the streets. But what about the hundreds of thousands of tenants who are not shown such grace? Leniency with rent seems to be the exception rather than the rule. As the calendar turns toward Christmas, this time of year can be difficult for families attempting to balance rent, food, utilities, and presents for children on such a limited budget.

It is our hope that some of you would be willing to help out with Christmas at Samaritan House. If you are able, would you consider making a donation toward our residents or to help the shelter? As we are approaching the holiday season and end of the year, we will have a detailed list of items we need and ways you can help.

Thank you for everything!

URGENT!!!

Hello friends,

You may have heard that last month a boiler at the shelter broke down. This is a $4,100 repair. Luke Lautaret, a well known musician in the area, organized a fundraiser "jam" with nearly 50 local musicians in attendance to raise money for this expense

The Kalispell NBC affiliate KCFW did an article about the event. You can view the article here:

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/samaritan-house-loses-heat-during-frigid-cold-weather/-/14594602/23345344/-/ac7p08z/-/index.html

The Kalispell ABC FOX news will air an article about the fundraising effort later today, where you can see the Samaritan House and maybe even the actual boiler itself. Also, watch for more information in the Daily InterLake on Saturday, December 7th.

A gentleman has stepped forward offering to match any funds raised towards this expense. This very generous offer expires Monday morning December 9th.

Would you help spread the word, donate or even forward this email to someone that may be able to help?


You can donate online at: http://www.homelessintheflathead.com/

or via mail or in person at:

Samaritan House

124 9th Ave West

Kalispell, MT 59901

(406) 257-5801

Please be sure to designate your donation to  "Samaritan House Boiler Repair".

Thank you very much for helping Samaritan House provide a warm place for the people we serve. Your consideration is very appreciated.   

Chris Krager

Executive Director

Fence Sittin'

Earlier this week I was speaking to a group of 8th graders about the difference between rights and responsibilities. The context of the conversation centered around what should be done if a person is being bullied or discriminated against. I asked if they felt any compulsion to get involved if the situation didn't directly affect them. If another person was in danger, did they have a responsibility to step in and help, or did they have the right to remain uninvolved? It was a great conversation and it rabbit trailed off into a few other interesting directions.

Those who felt mandated to get involved based their belief on the idea that doing nothing is the same as approving of what was happening. If a person bares witness to an ignoble act and doesn't get involved, then that person might as well participate because they are endorsing it. Allowing injustice to unfold without stepping in was viewed as cowardly and even inhumane by some of the students.

I ratcheted up the conversation by implying that helping out might cause harm to the person getting involved, but the kids didn't care. They believed we are responsible for helping others even if there is a cost or price to pay personally. When people do resist helping others then the world is a less-safe and more hostile place. It is up to us to improve this situation by refusing to stand by and let others be harmed.

But this was not a unanimous decision and other students protested that we have a fundamental right to not put ourselves in harm's way. They made a case for self-preservation and argued there is nothing wrong when a person takes care of their own self. We are not bound to an ethos that makes us responsible for others, especially those who seem to put themselves into dangerous situations repeatedly. Our first and only priority is to make sure we are okay.

The best thing about spending time with kids is that it permits us to look back over our lives and reflect on our own beliefs. Nostalgia mixes with idealism and then we snap back to the glaring reality that those days are over and we seldom have the luxury to separate our lives into near boxes that give us clear cut answers to grown up problems.

I'll let you decide which side of the fence you are on in regard to this issue. One thing, for sure, is that sometimes it easier to live in a world where hypotheticals exist. Unfortunately, that is not our reality.

Thankfully Elementary!

Predictability is an interesting thing. Some people are driven insane by any sort of routine or situations void of intrigue or surprise. Others are comforted by knowing what to expect and what might be coming around the corner. I guess it depends on what type of person you are as to whether you like or tolerate predictability. This time of year begs for a "Happy Thanksgiving" blog. It makes sense. Its predictable.

Well... Here goes a new twist on being thankful.

The alphabet is one of the first things we learn in school. I can still picture my kindergarten classroom and the pictorial cut outs that illustrated each letter. There, hung neatly next to each other, was an apple, a boy, a cat, and a dog. Finally, our old friend the zebra brought the whole thing to a conclusion. So, in the spirit of continued education, here is another hieroglyphic tutorial that represents the alphabet according to the homeless.

A is for the avenue I follow back to the shelter.
B is the vitamin I don't get regularly.
C is for the carpentry job lost in the recession.
D is for the dishwashing job that replaced the carpentry job.
E is for an education to help improve this situation.
F is for a fire to warm my hands.
G is for the gloves that warm my hands when the fire dies.
H is for the hope that I cannot lose.
I is for the isolation that accompanies me.
J is for a jacket that belonged to 3 others before I got it.
K is for Kalispell.
L is for the last call that I no longer partake of.
M is for the map I carry with me all day.
N is for the no loitering sign reminding me of my free time.
O is for the optometrist I should have visited two months ago.
P is for the police officer who is just doing her job.
Q is for the quilt that reminds me of a better day.
R is for the rest stop where I can wash my face.
T is for the trails that dot my map.
U is for the umbrella tucked into my backpack.
V is for the vehicle I spent October living in.
W is for the water that sloshes in my canteen.
X is for the xenophobia still rampant, even in 2013.
Y is for the yogurt served with breakfast.
Z is for the zoning laws that tell me where I can and can't go.

... Now I know my ABC's, next time won't you sing with me?

Samaritan House Annual Raffle

Some traditions need to be put to rest and never resurrected. Having to watch the Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving, shopping the day after Thanksgiving, and over eating on Thanksgiving are all events we can live without.

Fortunately, Samaritan House has an annual event that is worthy in it's cause and noble in it's efforts. It is our pleasure to announce our Annual Benefit Raffle. This year the drawing will be held on November  26 and, like always, winners do not have to be present to win because they will be notified. Here is some helpful information about how you can help Northwest Montana's only homeless shelter. You can pick up your tickets at our office located at 124 9th Avenue West in Kalispell, or by calling 257-5801 for more information. There will only be a limited amount of 130 tickets sold at $100.

Proceeds from the raffle will help feed and shelter more than 1200 adults and children in 2014. This is an amazing cause and it allows you to literally help play a part in changing people's lives for the better.  At the same time, you also will be entered into a drawing for the following prizes:

One grand prize of $2000
One prize of $1000
Two prizes of  $200
Eight prizes of $100

Thank you so much for your support!

Hapless Halloween

His costume was an original and Halloween was his favorite time of year. It wasn't the beauty of the technicolor leaves or the abundance of candy dolled out to every passer-byer on the street. Usually he avoided large crowds and stayed out of the public's eye. Not on October 31st, though. On this night he would rub elbows with people who would normally avoid him. It was a type of coming out party where the debutants couldn't discriminate from the commoners because everyone embraced a secret identity behind costumes and masks. Kids and their parents plodded up and down the streets with bags in tow while he sat on a bench and smiled.

"Look mom," she said as they passed the man. "What kind of costume is that?"

He knew there was no malice in her question and if he had a mirror he would likely agree with her inquiry. He was wearing dusty and dirty cargo pants with a sweatshirt from a college he had never visited. The wool cap on his head covered matted curls that barely snuck out from underneath its blue fibers. His boots were well-worn and comfortable but looked odd because, while they were old, he had inserted new laces in them a few days prior and there was a bold contrast.

This was his costume; His ticket to blend in by hiding in plain sight.

Families walk by and nod approvingly while he sits silently composed on the bench. He finds it sadly ironic that if the very same people walked by him 24 hours later there would be a different response. The pleasantries and greetings would likely be replaced by silence and quickened steps. But for tonight he blends in and reflects that his life is a costume for others. Something they can slip on and off in between a cup of hot chocolate and some baked pumpkin seeds. Tomorrow he will wake up in the shelter still wearing the same costume while everyone else will have morphed back into bankers and teachers and mechanics.

In 364 days it will be his turn to blend in again.