“Stay hydrated!” one of our regulars encouraged everyone at the table where he was sitting. He made sure they knew how to use the Hydration Station located nearby and told them the filtered water tasted great and is nice and cold.
We have all felt the shift in the weather this week as temperatures neared 90 for the first time this year. It’s clear that everyone’s bodies are still adjusting to the change.
This week our Hospitality Hosts kept everyone’s cups of coffee and lemonade filled. John made his rounds as Health Minister and checked on multiple people who were showing signs of dehydration and overheating.
Our showers were busy with everyone wanting to cool down and clean off after living in the heat. Deodorant was in demand, as were washcloths that people could take with them to wipe the sweat from their brows as they walked in the sun.
Everyone enjoyed a few extra moments in the air conditioning before heading off to their next destination.
“I’m headed to the neighbors!” a man told everyone in the main office as he headed to a nearby organization for lunch.
“Enjoy the weather!” another man called out.
Meanwhile, outside the building Jordan Allison was hard at work with his power washer. About 25 years ago, he and his brother were participants in Patchwork’s Arts & Smarts Program. Several of us who have been around for at least that long still remember them.
He is one of many past Arts & Smarts participants who stop in from time to time to say hello and to let us know that they’re doing well. It’s always a joy for us to get these kinds of visits, but today’s visit from Jordan was a special blessing.
Jordan owns a power washing business called Tri-State Cleaning Solutions. He had noticed that our building was looking grungy, so he stopped to take care of it. As a result, the building looks fantastic.
After his work, Jordan posted the following on Facebook:
Patchwork Central sits on Washington and 6th Ave. As a kid growing up in the inner city just a few blocks away on Powell, me and my brother would always see kids playing, building bikes, people eating breakfast etc. So me and my brother finally found out what this place was, and from there it was basically Home. Patchwork is a nonprofit, and some of the things we did as kids with this program such as learning who God is and building different types of crazy bikes—crazy bikes you couldn’t even imagine. Then we had our craft show where we made crafts and sold them and actually got to keep the money, Pancake breakfasts, tutors making sure we understood what’s being taught at school, and even food and hygiene if you didn’t have any at home. Even though my parents made sure we didn’t want for nothing, this place was always a place we felt safe at. So I come back here quite often because the same ladies work here and we always have had a good relationship.
This building was very dirty. So for all of the things these same people working here today done for me in the past I will repay them with washing their building! I love this place and it’s still like home when I walk in. That afternoon, Jane Vickers was reflecting on Jordan’s visit and other recent news from past participants who have let us know that they’re flourishing and that their experience at Patchwork was part of this success. “It’s a good reminder that what we do here matters,” Jane said. “And in the end, that’s what we’re really trying to do. To give kids an experience that matters.”