St. Francis House in Seattle

Drove Lea and D to St. Francis House in Seattle this morning.  D came away with five large plastic bags filled with blankets, clothes and more.  She was overjoyed with our help and what she got.  While waiting for them to get , I called Greg’s friend TM who lives in the neighborhood arranging for her to join us for lunch.

TM lives two blocks from St. Francis in Seattle’s Central District.  She did not know that they helped those in need with free clothes, food and more.  TM has 7 months of sobriety.   She is looking to move from transitional housing to a more standard room rental arrangement in real soon now.

Lea, TM and D have a history of heroin addiction.  TM has 7 months clean, D has half that and Lea has 10 weeks.  It is insanely cost effective for our society to help them stay sober instead of being trapped in a life of active addiction, crime and poor health.  It would be great if there were more resources to help them help themselves. 

Maybe there are plenty of resources available.  Unfortunately resources that are available are hard to access with their ability to readily access them.  Part of the problem is the stigma of, especially heroin, addiction.  Their self-esteem levels preclude them from being able to assertively advocate for themselves.  They have been marginalized beyond belief by the war on drugs becoming the modern equivalent of WWII’s displaced persons that will never again be able to even vote due to felony convictions for drug possession.

It was nice to be able to help them and take them to lunch.  Addiction is a disease of isolation.  Lea helping D is like watching flowers bloom.  They are both coming out of their shells to bond with another person.

I am grateful for the resources I have and for being able to help others make friends and access social service resources.  Helping others gets me out of myself and my apartment in a way that makes life better for all of us.