Archive: February, 2012

… Georgetown Ministry Center’s brand new video about who we are and what we do!

Back in November, we posted about Nelson Cuellar, a local filmmaker who volunteered to help us make a video about Georgetown Ministry Center. Nelson spent several hours in our center filming and interviewing staff, guests, and volunteers. He spent even more hours editing the footage, and we premiered the final product at the Have a Heart luncheon on Valentine’s Day.

Thank you so much, Nelson, for all of your work and enthusiasm!

Click here to watch on YouTube.

Meet the Member: Pierre

Please say hello to Pierre, the first guest in our new Meet the Member series! We will be periodically highlighting members who have been active and involved in our center, and Pierre is one of our most engaged members. He is always quick to offer words of encouragement or to lighten the mood with a joke, and I don’t think he’s ever missed a House Meeting. So, without further ado, allow me to present Pierre!

Pierre, tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a 50 year old African American male. I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. I am the only child; my father retired from Walter Reed Hospital as chief dietian. My mother taught special education in montgomery county public schools for 30 years. I attended Montgomery Junior College (Germantown) and then on to the University of Maryland (Business Administration – 1984).  I have had the opportunity to live in otherparts of the country from L.A., Calf., Des Moines, IA, Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA.

How did you hear about Georgetown Ministry Center?
I was trying to move someone out of my spot by bribing him with a sandwich and he told me he could get better sandwiches than I had at GMC. I asked what and where is GMC, and he told me.

What do you like most about GMC?
The computers are the number 1 attraction for me. I had always been an PC person, and learning the Apple has been an experience (a good one). However, having a high quality computer has been an immeasurable asset.

Where is your favorite place to go in D.C.?
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts – Millennium Stage, is where you will find me most evenings.

What is one thing you think people should know or understand about homelessness?
Wow. The reasons for homelessness are as numerous as the individuals experiencing homelessness. Having real conversations with others (no matter how one-sided, short, lopsided, sometimes incoherent) keeps you connected to the rest of humanity and serves a powerful purpose, even if you don’t get to see the result of the few minutes you spent with someone.

 

Did you enjoy the sunshine last Saturday? The GMC Walking Group did! We are so lucky that the weather cooperated for our first walk. Four Georgetown residents (plus one Georgetown dog) joined three GMC guests and GMC staff member Stephanie for a leisurely stroll by the canal and then the waterfront.

Come join us this Thursday for this week’s walk! We will be meeting outside of Grace Church’s gates (1041 Wisconsin Ave, NW) at 11am and departing then. The forecast says it’ll be 68 degrees, and we noticed that trees are starting to bud. Come see it for yourself with us!

 

Not long after we put the last can of tomato soup away there is a knock at the door.  Pastor Phil Gains was there with his pickup truck loaded with Nutrisystem packages that he just could not finish.  He said that each month they send him more whether or not he has finished the last and that it has built up.  Thanks Phil.  If you happen to be attending the service at Georgetown Lutheran this weekend Tell Phil we appreciate it!

Yesterday, Friday, February 18th, some people from Anthopologie, the store up in Georgetown Park, came by to see if we could use some soup. a lot of soup.  I hesitated….”Cans?”, I asked.   Yes they were cans so I said yes.  Later in the day Carla Weeks came by with another Anthropologie employee and a huge cart of cans of tomato soup.  Carla is the Senior Display Coordinator for our Georgetown Store.  She used the cans in a display and when they retired the display they though, “we can’t just throw this away.”  Thanks Carla!  Thanks Anthropologie!  Here’s to many more edible displays.  And Carla, have you thought of displays with socks?  Underwear?  We can use it all.