The last three years have been a journey.
It was just over three years ago that everything shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patchwork shut down along with everyone else. The building was quiet. The normal hustle and bustle of people and programming was paused. We even unplugged the coffee maker because we didn’t need its ever-heated reservoir of water.
A few weeks later, we re-opened our food pantry on a limited basis. We served people at the door to limit the number of people sharing indoor space. Soon, we began providing Shade Tree Hospitality a couple days a week by serving coffee, lemonade, and snacks beneath the big ash tree in Patchwork’s front yard. At first we weren’t sure who would come, but quickly folks began to join us as they fellowshipped together in the fresh, outdoor air.
We planned a virtual summer program for that first pandemic summer, then worked out enhanced safety protocols for in-person Arts & Smarts in the fall. We met outdoors with health ministry clients. Refurbished bikes continued to roll out of our bike shop.
Slowly we re-opened our programming. Slowly we increased our capacities. Slowly things felt a little more “normal,” but it was always a little different. There were twists and turns and setbacks in this journey. Some days it felt particularly like a long haul.
But lately, I look around Patchwork and I see activity like we used to have before the pandemic. In the mornings, our main room is full of people drinking coffee, chatting, waiting for showers, waiting for food orders, waiting for bike repairs, or waiting for a health ministry staff person to take a look at something.
This week, we’ve provided 6-8 showers a day. We brewed 8 pots of coffee a day and mixed up an additional pitcher of lemonade a day. We provided 6 food orders in the food pantry per day. Our Sozo Health Ministry staff provided 8 health-related interactions a day.
In the afternoons, we have a dedicated group of families sending their children for enriching activities at Patchwork. A group of 9-12 kids in grades 1-8 attends weekly along with 3-4 high school volunteers. Our participants gather together for art activities, snacks, games, and friendship.
It has been a long journey to get back to this point, but it feels good and healthy to be here. Things will never be exactly the way they were before March 2020, but that’s ok. We’re stronger and more resilient because of the last three years. We’re still here, acting as a community hub for our neighbors, and we’re doing even more than we ever were before.