Dinner & A Movie

I promised to write several weeks ago about my charity Dinner & A Movie and finally here it is:

D & M is a charity that I discovered 4 yrs ago through Imago Dei Church in Portland, OR. The charity was newly begun and was passing out socks, sleeping bags, and other items to street youth. Now I know a lot of people can have negative opinions about the homeless of any city, so here are just some facts.

Portland has the highest percentage of street youth in the nation; about 2,500 individuals. It is estimated that 80-90% of street youth have been physically and/or sexually abused, often by a relative. (All information and picture taken from D & M site.)

Maybe it's me, but sometimes I find it very easy to understand how many of these individuals may turn to behaviors or lifestyle choices that much of society sees as negative. If I had suffered from physical and sexual abuse for any length of time, I think I might have turned to drugs, alcohol, harming behaviors, or living on the streets as a means to block the pain. There are times when I catch myself with negative thoughts when I see homeless addicts of any ages on the corner, but when I apply my thoughts I often realize that their previous lives probably led them to where they currently are functioning. I'm digressing...

D & M has grown and now is a Christian non-profit agency. They provide services to all individuals that need help w/o "pushing" Christianity onto them. They work as servants of Christ and hope that through their actions, the youth will come to desire to know Christ. Last year alone Dinner & A Movie did incredible work:

2006

10,000 meals served 2,000 pairs of socks

1,000 blankets 250 coats

586 sleeping bags 5 job placements

2 professions of faith 2 youth baptisms

4 church placements 3 drug treatments

4 first birthday parties 3 pair eyeglasses

1 dental care 1 paid college tuition

2 veterinary assists

D & M has several additional services. On Tuesday evenings they provide a home cooked free meal as well as entertainment and friendship to 150-300 youth each week. During these evenings youth can receive blankets, coats, etc, but the agency also passes out these items through outreach walks. They also pair youth with mentors from the community who at times function in roles similiar to those that the parents should have served. Through their services, D & M works to meet the physical, financial, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of youth.

My current goal (which many of you know) is to try to create scarves that can be passed out to the youth during the winter months. There are times when I am cold enough in my own home and I cannot begin to fathom life on the streets during those times. Thus far I have made 3 scarves and have 4-5 others for donation. A few of my family members are signed on to help in the scarf making endeavor.

However if you feel inclined there are other ways to donate. If you care to make a financial donation to D & M, you can do so by clicking on the link. They have a good list of how far your dollars will stretch. However there are many organizations out there beyond D & M, and I would encourage everyone to donate to some cause. We all have different passions and donating our time, skills, or funds are just a few ways that we can improve the lives of others. And just in case you need more swaying: giving to others in turn can give back to you.