This was really good! I slept fine. It was a private space, fairly sheltered if it were to rain, and I came up with a bunch of ideas for how to improve the situation.
I see the people who sleep right on the sidewalk, in alleys or even on crosswalk stairways. Maybe they are mentally ill? Maybe they are habituated to alcohol or some other substance? But I see these same people - if elderly - walking around, stooped over, or sitting with their heads down on a curb during the day; always in public, always away from nature. Or - if younger - they drink and fool around all day and hang out with each other in a park somewhere. They do not prepare for the next night. They do nothing to clean themselves or their clothes. They move on from whatever place they've "stayed" when their trash builds up to the point of being unruly, which they leave and don't take care of... They are like grasshoppers just singing and partying each day, despite the fact that each night brings up the serious issue of sleeping safely. Let's not even mention preparing for rain or the change of seasons.
The night before, I'd felt very much like the ant in Aesop's Fable, as I built a blind out of woven sticks and straw for the northern side, and made a better stone border. I take my trash out each morning and regularly keep clean. Having a spot like this facilitates a healthier way of life.
I have thought long and hard about why other homeless people don't just set up a similar situation for themselves. What it seems like is that they live out in public (sleep, eat, piss, and puke) IN ORDER to be seen. They want attention, even though everything about them - on the outside - says "stay away!". But that is only a hypothesis.
Here is what my camp looked like when I woke up in the morning...
The sleeping bag rests on top of the thick plastic laundry bag,
with my rain jacket under the head end.
The tarp is large enough to cover the whole "bed" area,
angled so as to channel rain down, while not being
visible from the standpoint of the trail above.
Looking southeast, from the "door" that leads
to the grassy area down by the creek.
Looking south at the blind.
Blind obscuring the "bed" area.
Looking west. The whole bump of straw and trees
is hollow on the "bed" side.
This is the view from the trail.
After packing up, only the sand and rock perimeter were visible. It looks something like a grave site, maybe for a medieval knight? Instead, it's just a place to rest my weary Living bones, and stay dry...
It was (and I feel strange saying this in these towns where I end up temporarily stuck) a typical day in Spokane. The city's downtown area is always my gravitational center. I'd been taking Seventh Avenue to Walnut, then Cedar, then down Riverside to either Main Street (to the library or Starbucks) or Spokane Falls, where the park is, and the bridges to the north part of the city. At the end of the day, I return (basically) the same way to the creek.
On this day, I wanted to get to the library to work and charge the laptop. Here are some shots of the library lobby...
The library is actually on the second floor of the large, modern building. There is a "Friends of the Library" used book store on the first floor, along with a small art gallery, elevator and water fountain. It is not as busy or packed as most city libraries I'd been to (probably about 50 libraries across the US). In fact, the tables that I use are in the far back and that area is never more than about 20% filled.
Spokane (as I've mentioned in past posts) has hardly any homeless people. There are many who are close to that line though. I was pretty hungry on this day, so I searched online for "free food in Spokane" and found that there are 20 places that routinely feed the hungry! They are all mostly VERY well funded and staffed. For some places there is a waiting list for volunteers--but most are always looking for help (which I decided I might do if I'm here for another week). I'd never even checked for free food in any town or city I'd been to. This was very edifying.
The first site one finds is SpokaneCares.org. Here is the easy-to-understand weekly schedule, with all other information. I reproduce it in total to give a better idea of its extent and well-thought out system...
FREE Meals in Spokane
Free meals are offered at more than 20 meals sites throughout Spokane County. A donation of approximately $3.50 is suggested.
Spokane serves hot and cold meals to those in need, including children, women, men, low-income, homeless, seniors, and those who are home-bound.What You Can Do:
- Volunteer to help serve meals at one of the providers in Spokane County.
- Volunteers are needed for:
- set-up, take-down
- dishwashers, clean-up, sweeping, mopping
- food preparation, cooking
- serving food and beverages
- food delivery
- inventory, office
- laundry
Resources:
Free Meals Served: (addresses are listed below)
BREAKFAST
Monday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
8:00 am - 9:30 am Mid-City Concerns
7:30 am - 8:30 am Shalom Ministries
Tuesday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
7:30 am - 8:30 am House of Charity
8:00 am - 9:30 am Mid-City Concerns
7:30 am - 8:30 am Shalom Ministries
10:00 am - 11:00 am The City Gate
Wednesday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
7:30 am - 8:30 am House of Charity
8:00 am - 9:30 am Mid-City Concerns
7:30 am - 8:30 am Shalom Ministries
10:00 am - 11:00 am The City Gate
Thursday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
7:30 am - 8:30 am House of Charity
8:00 am - 9:30 am Mid-City Concerns
7:30 am - 8:30 am Shalom Ministries
10:00 am - 11:00 am The City Gate
Friday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
7:30 am - 8:30 am House of Charity
8:00 am - 9:30 am Mid-City Concerns
10:00 am - 11:00 am The City Gate
Saturday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
8:45 am - 10:00 am Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
7:30 am - 8:30 am House of Charity
9:00 am - 10:30 am St. Peter's Lutheran Church
(3rd Saturday ONLY)
10:00 am - 12:00 pm The City Gate (2nd and 4th ONLY)
Sunday
9:00 am - 9:30 am Crosswalk
7:30 am - 8:30 am House of Charity
7:00 am Orchard Christian Fellowship
(NOT 1st Sunday of month)
1:00 pm St. Ann's Parish Hall12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
LUNCH
Monday
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Cup of Cool Water
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Mid-City Concerns
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel Mission
Tuesday
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Cup of Cool Water
11:00 am - 11:30 am House of Charity
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Mid-City Concerns
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm The City Gate
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel Mission
11:30 am - 1:30 pm Women & Children's Restaurant
Wednesday
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Cup of Cool Water
11:00 am - 11:30 am House of Charity
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Mid-City Concerns
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
12:30 pm Spokane Valley United Methodist Church
(last Wednesday, Seniors 55+ ONLY)
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm The City Gate
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel Mission
Thursday
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
11:00 am - 11:30 am House of Charity
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Mid-City Concerns
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm The City Gate
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel Mission
11:30 am - 1:30 pm Women & Children's Restaurant
Friday
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
11:00 am - 11:30 am House of Charity
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Mid-City Concerns
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm The City Gate
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel Mission
Saturday
11:00 am - 1:00 pm Calvary Baptist Soup Kitchen
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
11:00 am - 11:30 am House of Charity
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel Mission
Sunday
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Crosswalk
11:00 am - 11:30 am House of Charity
12:30 pm Spokane Valley United Methodist Church
(last Sunday of month ONLY)
1:00 pm St. Ann's Parish
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Union Gospel MissionDINNER
Monday
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
5:30 pm Feed Cheney
(last Monday of each month)
5:30 pm Off-Broadway Family Outreach
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Shalom Ministries
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
Tuesday
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm All Saints Lutheran
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Cup of Cool Water
6:00 pm Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
(last Tuesday of month)
4:00 pm Orchard Christian Fellowship
(NOT 1st Tuesday of month)
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Shalom Ministries
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm SPEAR
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Women & Children's Restaurant
Wednesday
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Blessings Under the Bridge
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm SPEAR
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm The City Gate
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Women & Children's Restaurant
Thursday
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Cup of Cool Water
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm House of Charity
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm The Salvation Army
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
Friday
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Our Lady of Lourdes
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm The City Gate
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
Saturday
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm The City Gate
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
Sunday
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Crosswalk
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm The City Gate
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Union Gospel Mission
MEALS ARE SERVED AT:All Saints Lutheran ChurchBlessings Under the Bridge314 S. Spruce St. (Browne’s Addition)
Spokane, WA 99204
(509) 838-4409
Dinner: 5:00 - 6:00 pm on Tuesday4th Avenue and Browne (under the I-90 bridge)
Dinner: 6-7 pm, Wednesdays
Summer BBQ: (to be announced)
This outreach ministry serves a hot meal for homeless people.
For more information, to help out, or donate, visit http://www.butb.org.
Calvary Baptist Soup Kitchen207 E. 3rd Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 747-8793
Lunch: Saturday, 11 - 1:00 pm
Crosswalk (Youth ONLY)525 W. Second Ave. (corner of 2nd and Howard)
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 624-2378
Email: kmccruden@voaspokane.org
http://voaspokane.org
(serving Homeless Teens - ages 13-18)
Breakfast: 9-9:30 am, 7 days/week
Lunch: 12-12:30 pm, 7 days/week
Dinner: 6-6:30 pm, 7 days/week
Cup of Cool Water (Youth ONLY)1106 W. Second Avenue (2nd Avenue and Madison)
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 747-6686
http://cupofcoolwater.org
Email: cup@cupofcoolwater.org
Lunch: 1:00-4:00 pm Monday-Wednesday
Dinner: 7:30-9:30 pm Tuesday, Thursday
Feed Cheney(Wren Pierson Building)
615 - 4th St.
Cheney, WA 99004
(509) 999-0850
Email: feedcheney@gmail.com
http://www.feedcheney.org
Dinner: last Monday of each month, 5:30 pm.
In addition, a free grocery distribution is made at that time.
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church1832 W. Dean Avenue
Spokane, WA
(509) 326-6471
Breakfast: 8:45 am -10 am, Saturday
Dinner: 5:30-6 pm, Wednesday
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church2511 S. Pines Rd
Spokane Valley, WA 99216
(509) 926-7966
Dinner: Last Tuesday of each month at 6 pm.
House of Charity32 W. Pacific
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 624-7821
(serving Homeless Men)
Breakfast: 7:30 - 8:30 am - Tuesday through Sunday
Lunch: 11-11:30 am - Tuesday through Sunday
Dinner: 4:30 pm - Thursday ONLY
Mid-City Concerns Senior Center (Seniors ONLY, age 60+)1222 W. 2nd Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 747-3257
Breakfast: 8:00-9:30 am - Monday through Friday
Lunch: 11:30 am - 12:15 pm- Monday through Friday
Off-Broadway Family Outreach1804 W. BroadwaySpokane, WA 99201
(509) 998-4096 or (509) 998-2630
Dinner: 5:30 pm, every Monday
Orchard Christian Fellowship312 E. 3rd Avenue
Spokane, WA
(509) 838-0139
Breakfast: 7 am, Sunday
(does not include the 1st Sunday of each month)
Dinner: 4:00 pm,Tuesday
(does not include 1st Tuesday of each month)
Our Lady of Lourdes1115 W. Riverside
Spokane, WA 99204
(509) 358-4290
http://www.sppokanecathedral.com
(sandwiches only)
Lunch: 11 am - 12 Noon Monday thru Friday
Dinner: 4:00 - 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday
Shalom MinistryCentral United Methodist ChurchSPEAR - (Youth ONLY)
(Lower level, corner of 3rd & Howard)
Enter Rear of the Church in Alley
518 W. Third Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 455-9019
Breakfast: Monday - Thursday, 7:30-8:30 am
Dinner: Monday and Tuesday, 4:30-5:30 pm1905 E. Pacific
Spokane, WA
(509) - unknown
(Youth, ages 4-18)
Dinner: Tuesday and Wednesday, 3:30 - 6:00 pm
Summer Breakfast Program - (to be announced)
Spokane Valley United Methodist Church115 N. Raymond Road
Spokane Valley, WA 99206
(509) 924-7262
Lunch: 12:30 pm Last Sunday of month ONLY - everyone invited
Last Wednesday of month - Seniors 55+ ONLY
St. Ann’s Parish Hall - Neighborhood Lunch2120 E. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99202
(509) 535-3031
Lunch: Sunday, 1:00 pm
http://stannsspokane.org/
St. Peter's Lutheran Church - Food Bank4620 N. Regal
Spokane, WA 99207
(509) 487-4843
http://www.splspokane.org
Breakfast: 9:00 - 10:30 am - 3rd Saturday each month ONLY
The City Gate170 S. Madison
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 455-9670
Breakfast: 10 - 11:00 am, Tuesday thru Saturday
Lunch: 12 - 3:00 pm, Tuesday thru Friday
Dinner: 7 - 8:30 pm, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, SundaySummer BBQ: Date to be announced.
The Salvation Army222 E. Indiana
Spokane, WA
(509) 325-6810
Dinner: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Thursday
Union Gospel Mission1224 E. TrentWomen and Children’s Free Restaurant
Spokane, WA 99202
(509) 535-8510
(serving Homeless Men)
Lunch: 12-12:30 pm 7 days/week
Dinner: 5:30-6:00 pm 7 days/week
http://www.ugmspokane.org/(St. Paul’s Methodist Church - basement)
1620 N. Monroe St.
Spokane, WA 99205
(509) 324-1995
Email: wcfrestaurant@qwest.net
Lunch: 11:30-1:30 pm Tuesday and Thursday
Dinner: 3:00 - 6:00 pm Tuesday and Wednesday
(serving Women and Children- boys up to age 18)
(Updated August 2015)
Click HERE for a convenient PDF schedule from FeedSpokane.com.
I decided, since this was a Wednesday and I had no money and had only had two small meals in the last two days, that I would go to the "Blessings Under the Bridge" (BUTB) for dinner from 6:00 - 7:00 pm.
I left the library and headed to the intersection of Third and Division; to "the bridge". As I walked down Third, I passed McDonald's and stopped to check online. I had gotten a modest donation. When this happened I decided not to take the space of a hungry person under the bridge.
I got a Subway sandwich, but still walked over to the bridge to see what the whole thing was like. It was mind blowing, in a way. There were about 60 young people (I'd say, from children to about 30 years old), then there were about 20 elderly). I only saw one family, but it is likely that others came too--I was there 15 minutes before they opened.
The largest age group were teens, nearly all of them on bikes. It looked like a high school event. Some, but not many were smoking cigarettes. It was like a festival for them. They were running around, playing pass with a football, joking and talking loudly--like teens do.
I made a mental note to get pictures if I was still in Spokane the next Wednesday. On this visit I only passed by. I was partially concerned by how little food BUTB seemed to have. They advertise that they often have "hot dinners" as opposed to the sandwiches often handed out by other organizations. I must have missed a table or something. They had a lot of water, milk and juice though.
The story behind the BUTB phenomenon is quite interesting. Jessica and Mike Kovac hit the right thing at the right time. Their efforts have led to a great success for the services they provide. And, Spokane is an even better place because of it.
I was automatically on my way back to the creek. I only had to switch over to Fourth, and up Walnut to Seventh, then out to the creek. When I got "home" I continued improving the area, and then just rested and thought for a long time before going to sleep. But sleep came as easily as it had for my whole visit in Spokane. If I have to stay here, I plan to enjoy its inherent peacefulness and beauty. after all, I am not an ascetic.
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