November 29, 2016

The Giving Tour: Caritas of Austin

Caring for the homelss of Austin, TX
Image found on www.chicktime.com
We volunteered with Caritas through Little Helping Hands. We arrived in the downtown Austin neighborhood where the streets smelled of urine and homeless men and women lined the sidewalks. Parking the car was a much needed eye-opener for our 3 kids.

It immediately reminded me of a day in DC where my mom and I were walking downtown. We passed a homeless man cup in hand. I looked at him, smiled and said hello. He stopped me and said "Thank you for looking at me in the eye and smiling. No one ever looks at me." That day resonated with me. We are all human. We all deserve respect.

A bit about Caritas: They serve men, women, children, refugees and veterans in Austin, Texas. They believe that it's not that people lack the motivation to overcome their situation they lack the opportunity. Caritas hopes to give those that have been experiencing homelessness that opportunity by starting with a stable home environment. They believe that once their clients establish stable housing they can focus on all other aspects of their lives: employment, education, food, physical and mental health and building a network of support. Caritas provides support every step of the way as their goal is 'lasting stability' for all of their clients. Check out the pictures below and be sure to read the captions.

Caritas helping homeless find stable housing
A formerly homeless veteran family moving into their apartment with Caritas support
Miss Irma stocking the pantry
Miss Irma in the Caritas Pantry
Clients holding their certifications after completing Vocational Training
Client participants at Vocational Training at Caritas
Caritas Veterans team staff
Veterans team staff
Staff at Caritas Austin, TX

This last picture is an all staff photo. Thank you to all of you for working so hard to support the Austin community! Your work doesn't go unnoticed. We enjoyed volunteering in the Community Kitchen and hope others will join in your mission. #givingtour2016

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