The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Kits donated for the homeless who are going into housing
CROMWELL — Every Thursday afternoon, a group of residents at Covenant Village meet to discuss current events. When it was time for Alan McLean to provide the topic, he decided the discussion would center around homelessness, according to a news release.
He invited outreach minister Logan Singerman from the First Church of Christ in Hartford as guest speaker. Through his presentation, the group learned about how often families and individuals arrived in their newly found apartments without household and personal items.
“The good news is more and more people are getting the help they need to find permanent housing,” McLean said in a prepared statement. “What really made us all stop and think is that when those folks arrive in their new homes, they often arrive with nothing to get started.”
McLean, with Carolyn Lester, accepted monetary donations from the residents, and armed with a small fund they set out to purchase items for welcome kits, the release said.
“We know these kits won’t last forever, but it is a start for those moving into permanent housing to at least make them feel at home,” Lester said. “We even included a handwritten ‘welcome home’ note inside the kits.”
The kits consist of everyday essentials such as paper towels, toilet paper, plastic cups, plates and utensils, sponge, microfiber cloth, dish soap, bath soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
The kickoff of donations started with 10 welcome kits, but already there is movement to keep this going among the group members, the release added.
Some of the residents volunteered in Hartford preparing meals for the homeless from December through March, McLean said.
“This is now just a continuation of our support for the greater community.”