Yesterday, we had a busy morning at Patchwork. The main room bustled with people getting coffee and snacks to start their day, people meeting with case managers from Aurora Evansville, people picking up food orders and reorganizing their packs to get it all home, people grabbing a towel and toiletries as their turn was called for the shower, people charging their phones in preparation for the weekend, people stopping in the main office to get a couple vitamins or cough drops, people venting about things that weren’t going their way, people heading outside to get items from Aldersgate Church’s homeless ministry van, and people having their names called as the bike shop volunteers completed repairs.
Amid the hustle and bustle, two men sat in front of Patchwork on the benches dedicated to the memory of Alan Winslow, Beth Stone, and Darlene Blagg. They had been talking together for some time. I happened to pass them as one headed away to continue his day while the other headed inside for more coffee.
As I passed the man headed inside, I heard him say, “Hopefully we’ll find a place to have another deep conversation!”
I smiled at that, and he added, “I just love this place, man.”
If you’d like an additional perspective on life at Patchwork, I invite you to listen to this two-part podcast in which Phil Amerson interviews John and I about our experiences here at Patchwork. Phil and his wife Elaine were two of Patchwork’s six founders, so it was especially interesting to share with him our thoughts about where the organization stands today.
Part 1:
Meandering Ministry and Holistic Community: The Story of Patchwork Central with Amy and John Rich
Part 2:
Outlasting Adversity: Patchwork Central’s Evolving Mission with Amy and John Rich