Road trip- Marianne takes the kids to the homelss shelter

I am the car pool Mom and take my son and four other kids home ever day.
Yesterday I had been taking donations to various agencies throughout Cleveland.

I picked up the kids and they were being kids- picking on and fighting with each other...
(I say kids but they are in junior high)

So I told them I had to make a stop to drop off one more donation- and I took them to the Men's homeless shelter in downtown Cleveland. I had a load of blankets - and knowing the temperature was going down again, I felt they would be desperately needed.

Well...Divine timing being what it is- we arrived at about 3:30- just when the men are lining up to get in to the shelter for the evening. There were at least 60+ men standing in line with their bags of possessions.
My son goes there all the time- but the others had never been there.
The car got very quiet.

I turned around and explained- In the morning- the shelter makes all the men go out to the street, it seams mean- but if they didn't, they wouldn't look for work- or see how painful this way of life is. I explained that these men have serious problems. Some are addicted to drugs and alcohol- some are mentally ill. Some got out of prison and can't find work- because they have had no education- or their criminal record makes it almost impossible to get a job. But when they come in to the shelter at night- they get food, a bed, a shower, laundry and counseling if they want it- and if they do- they help them get their lives in order. They get them medical- mental health and legal assistance- even tutors from the college come to help them get their GED.

So I told them to lock the doors while I dropped off the blankets.
I walked across the street and all the men said "Hi!!! What 's in the bags- is it food- can I have some???" They were laughing and they even held the door for me. I left the bag at the desk and went right back out. One man yelled- "Will you marry me??" "I yelled back- "You don't want me I'm a lot of work!!" which got a big laugh from the entire group... All the while- 5 pairs of very large eyeballs were watching from the van.

I got back in the car- and we all waved at the men who were waving at us....
I expressed how grateful I am for my life....
It was a pretty quiet ride home....