How is it so quiet at the heart of CBD, Queen Street on a Monday morning? Because it’s Easter Monday!
Last Easter Monday, Reconnect invited anyone to come and share some warmth. 8 volunteers showed up. Props to the 15-year-old teenager, Tae who participated.
There were 14 of us in total. We split into 4 groups and roamed CBD to find some street people.
It is so easy to walk past the homeless people on Queen street who are shaking their Mcdonald’s cups and asking for money. But in our groups, we were able to muster up the courage to engage with them. In front of Auckland City Library, we saw cardboard boxes propped up, acting as a barrier against the icy cold wind. We carefully greeted two groups of people, all of whom were bundled up in their rugged and worn blankets. Cautiously, we got low on our knees as they were half asleep. We said hi, said happy easter, and asked if we could share some warmth by purchasing something for them worth $20 and under. They graciously said, “Anything is good, thank you”.
So, we went over to Mcdonald's to buy a big mac combo meal for them and also some bottled water. With the goods, we hurried over so the food doesn’t get cold. We passed over the food and water. They genuinely appreciated the gesture and we were off to find more people.
On this day, we were able to connect with more than 20 street people offering food, water, and a listening ear. A memorable impression the 15-year-old volunteer shared was that despite the appearance of the street people looking rough, they were very kind. Another response from a volunteer was that the street people he engaged with were very open to share their struggles and hardships, However, the volunteer himself questioned if he was ready to be as vulnerable as the street people were.
With first-hand experience of engaging with the homeless, the volunteers’ perception towards the street people had been positively influenced.
Reconnect will continue to invite everyone to be better connected to society. We invite you to share the warmth on our upcomming program too.