“Patchwork Central is one of the random helpers,” a case worker told me as he stopped by last winter to find out if we happened to have an extra-large coat for his homeless client. Coats, kitty litter, slippers, cremation urns, wheelchairs, antacid pills, laptop power cables. If someone is looking for any of this, it’s […]
Last Tuesday, a man came up to the window where we serve coffee and snacks. Gail, the day’s Hospitality Hostess, noticed that he was feeling emotional. The man told Gail, “You don’t realize how different you are from other places. Other people say Patchwork just gives you coffee and a donut, not a real […]
It’s a typical morning at Patchwork. Dee hands out shower supplies and socks in the main office, looking to see if she can meet special requests and joking with everyone. “Dee, I’ve missed you!” one woman exclaims, happy to have Dee’s humor brighten her day. “You’re weird like me. It makes me feel normal when […]
“You’ve restored my faith in humanity!” the woman declared after a morning at Patchwork. She’d arrived early, riding a bike with major damage to its cables. The damage occurred when someone had tried to steal it. It was dangerous to ride it, but it was the only transportation she had. While she waited for the […]
The Patchwork Meetinghouse was a whirlwind of activity on Tuesday morning. Our food pantry was open for customers, and the main office was busy issuing food pantry referrals. Some of our monthly regulars came to get food to help them stretch their resources just a little further. We also had a visit from a woman […]
The weather is beautiful in Evansville and spring has arrived. With the warmer weather, we’ve seen increased numbers of visitors during Patchwork’s Neighborhood Hospitality time. Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am-noon, you will find our building busy. On some recent mornings, our Meetinghouse has held nearly 40 people! Our increased morning traffic can also be measured […]
The following reflection comes from Sydney, an Ivy Tech student who is completing an internship at Patchwork this semester. Sydney is here every morning to be part of our Neighborhood Hospitality programming. She is part of Ivy Tech’s Human Services Program. “Homelessness is a disease.” Those four words were stuttered by a gentleman I […]
Patchwork is here for the community. Anyone can visit during our hospitality time, whether they are homeless or the mayor. We strive to be a place where everyone is treated with the same dignity and respect. As a result, Patchwork comes together as a community. Our neighbors and friends give to one another at Patchwork […]
The man is friendly and talkative. He looks approachable. He’s relatively young. He first met John during a Sozo Health Ministry First Friday at Central Library. John answered a health question for him, and he was very grateful for John’s time and care. A few weeks ago, the man came to Patchwork for the first […]
It’s the time of year to slow down, to reflect, to visit with friends and family, and to enjoy the things we love. At Patchwork, our building will be quiet for the next week and a half so that our staff and volunteers can do just that. This is also the time of year for […]