Encompass Blog
Personal Care Café
For the recent GWOH
(God’s Work Our Hands — a day of service by ELCA congregations)
Encompass Homeless Ministry again hosted a
“Hygiene Products Cafeteria.”
The Cafeteria was set up on Lincoln Avenue under the 280 overpass,
next to Ranch Town Recycling, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The hygiene cafeteria is not a station where pre-filled bags are passed out,
but rather a display of products from which people
can pick and choose.
By the end of the day, we had had approximately 80 customers.
Before we left we also made some kits
to be left with the proprietor of Ranch Town Recycling,
who promised to pass them out the next day.
During the day we discussed whether this idea was worth continuing
through the year.
By the end of the day we reached consensus that this is a needed ministry.
This confirms my own observations that hygiene is an area of unmet need.
We have plan to staff the hygiene cafeteria
the first and third Sunday of every month, from noon to six p.m.
Our first event will be Sunday, October 7th 2018,
from noon until 6.
We will coordinate sign-up through an on-line program initially.
By the way, the name “Hygiene Products Cafeteria”
was nixed by our youngest daughter, Serafina, in favor of
“Personal Care Café.”
This leads to my next ask and announcement: we need products.
What kind of products? I’m glad you asked.
Almost anything that your use in your personal care regime
is used by those in need,
everything from family size to hotel size.
There is one product ingredient that is better left out and that is alcohol.
So, mouthwash and aftershave are not needed.
People are choosing them not for the intended use
but rather for the alcohol content.
These products can be dropped off at
Hope Lutheran at
2383
Pacific Drive Santa Clara, CA, Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and
3:00 PM.
We can also use products for the mobile shower
and laundry trailer that can be seen at various locations
such as the GSA office and
Martha’s Kitchen.
The mobile shower unit can always use personal care kits
to pass out to patrons in need at their other locations.
These kits are very basic as space to store the kits is limited.
The shower kit consists of a small bar of soap
as well as a small bottle each of shampoo, conditioner and lotion.
The tooth care kit should contain a travel tooth brush,
small toothpaste and floss.
There is an additional need for feminine care kits consisting of wipes,
tampons and pads.
Kits may be dropped off at
Hope Lutheran Church,
located at
2383
Pacific Dr., Santa Clara, CA, Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and
3:00 PM.
The staff of
Dignity on Wheels,
the shower trailer ministry, requested 75 shower kits,
25 tooth care kits and 10 feminine care kits per week.
These kits will be collected at
Hope Lutheran Church,
located at
2383
Pacific Dr., Santa Clara, CA, Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and
3:00 PM.
Encompass hosts a Personal Care Café
every Wednesday at
Martha’s
Kitchen, from about 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Feel free to stop by and see what going on.
Dinner at Martha’s is between 4 and 5 and is open to all.
Eating at Martha’s is a great way to gain an understanding
of what life is for people who live under extreme economic uncertainty.
