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USA Weekend magazine started Make a Difference
Day in 1991 to raise awareness of needs and increase volunteer
efforts. They set the fourth Saturday in October to coincide with
National Volunteer week as the most encompassing national day of
helping others. This fits perfectly with the goals of Altrusa
International and our club mission "To promote Community Service,
with an emphasis on literacy."
This year Altrusans from Altrusa International of
Clark County chose to help the men at Share Outreach, a shelter for
men in Vancouver. We collected
hats, scarves, gloves and socks to donate. These will help the men
through the winter.
Thanks to all who got
involved in your own community and participate in Make a Difference
Day.
Share and Share House
Share is the
Vancouver,
Washington non-profit organization
that provides services to homeless men and women. Share Outreach has
facilities for showers, laundry, telephone, mail and bus passes.
Share Outreach workers go out in the community to make contact with
homeless persons. Share House is the single men’s shelter where men
can stay for up to 30 days. Share
Homestead
and Share Orchards Inn are shelters for women with children. Share
Homes provides group homes for single women. Share Aspire is
transitional housing for those moving from homelessness to stable
housing and provides housing and extensive case management. There is
also a meal program providing three meals a day Monday through
Friday and two meals on Saturday and Sunday to homeless persons.
The Altrusans collected socks, hats, gloves and
scarves for the men at Share House. We also brought books. We were
met at the Shelter on Saturday October 24th by Katherine
Garrett who accepted our donations and gave us a tour of the
shelter. There are three dormitories housing 10 men each in bunk
beds. There is a quiet room for reading and a television room. There
is a laundry that runs 24 hours a day doing the laundry for the
men’s shelter as well as for Share Outreach. We toured the dining
hall that provides meals to all who come 365 days a year.
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