It hit me when I realized that it was time to unplug Patchwork’s coffeemaker. It’s the commercial kind that is always at the ready with a perpetually heated water reservoir. But for now it doesn’t have to be ready to make coffee. It’s just wasting electricity. I cried. A week ago Thursday, this room had […]
There was a great party at Patchwork on Tuesday. We didn’t send invitations. We didn’t even know it would be happening ahead of time. But part way through the morning you could just feel it. At first glance, our main room was filled with a very motley crowd. People were drinking coffee and eating some […]
“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 […]