the simple project

A FEW UPDATES-

Saturdays have changed a bit for us…we are still meeting at 1:00 in Downtown Monroe and have added a Community Service project to each week’s agenda.  This past weekend we spent 20-30 minutes walking around the block picking up trash, cigarette butts, and all kinds of other fun dirty stuff.  Our homeless guys took pride in helping clean up the city and for us it was a fun time to spend together.  Up next….weeding flower beds!

We are continuing our Sunday church service at 10:30am.  Serving no breakfast at this event has proved to be a very pleasant morning focused on God.  Brandon challenged the guys to be very interactive yesterday morning and share their struggles with us.  It was a safe place for them to tell us what was going on in their lives and a time for them to be heard.  If you were there, remember the faces and stories…and pray.  If you were not there, pray for jobs to open and families to be reconciled and for minds to be focused on good things.

Don’t forget, Mondays are our day of Prayer and Fasting!  Each Monday fast as you feel led and pray for our homeless, our city, and the Simple Project!  Specifically, this week give thanks to God for those who support our organization and mission.  There are many people that I and our volunteers have spoken to recently who agree with our work, spoken on our behalf and given us great encouragement!  GIVE THANKS

Fill up our meal calendar…provide a meal for our homeless.  Fast and easy to sign up!  Follow this link, choose a date, and prepare a meal for approx. 30 people.  Commit to once a month, once every other month, etc., or just once!

SIGN UP HERE!

This weekend we are celebrating Christmas with our street friends!  Join us as we hand out gifts, food, hygiene bags and more!

This Saturday 1:00p @ corner of Jackson & Desiard St, Downtown Monroe.

ALSO, we need your help providing meals!  Please follow the link to sign-up to bring a meal.  THANKS!

We are in need of someone or a group to help us out and provide a meal to the homeless on Saturday, Dec 18th.  If you are interested…click here and sign up!  

Our Thanksgiving meal, Turkey Meat on the Street was a huge success!  We had tons and tons of food thanks to our friends at Swartz FBC!  Our homeless left with very full bellies!

We still have a few folks available for our Christmas Head-to-Toe adoption.  Please contact info@thesimpleproject.org for more info or for more details check out this post.

Happy week to you!

what: Thanksgiving meal with our homeless

when: Saturday, Nov. 20th - 1:00pm

where: Corner of Jackson & Desiard St, Downtown Monroe

what you should do: provide a side dish! or dessert! or drinks!

EMAIL info@thesimpleproject.org to provide one of the above.

A MESSAGE FROM ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS:

Over the past 6 months or so my family has been going to help and feed the homeless in Monroe on Saturdays.  It is called The Simple Project. (http://thesimpleproject.org/) The group varies in size from week to week but we have gotten to know 1 individual.  He goes by the nickname of “The Reverend”.  He is in his middle 50’s and a Christian.  He has a great smile, positive energy, and a laugh that my daughter loves.  As best we can tell he has been homeless since March.  My wife drove him home on Saturday and saw the conditions he was living in.  It simply was too much for her to handle.  And for those that know Toni, she is not going to stand by idle without helping someone.  We have been blessed with an apartment for a period of one month and you probably can figure out the next sentence.  We moved him into the apartment yesterday and provided him some clothing and food for one week.  Words cannot express the joy he had and his gratitude and for a simple thing such as taking a bath is considered a luxury shows how much we truly take for granted.

With all that being said, there are things that need to happen to get The Reverend up on his feet in a very short amount of time.  

-Apartment-Taken care of for 1 month

-Electricity Bill-Need to get that money donated to cover the month of November

-Job-We have a few leads but need to find him employment close to where he is staying at Town and Country (if possible)

-Food-We have food for a week or so but any donations of canned goods or food is highly appreciated

-ID-We are in the process of getting his expired drivers license renewed and that is being taken care of via the Simple Project

-Bus Pass- We have already gotten that taken care of via The Simple Project

-Clothing-He wears a size 11 shoe and 38/30 pants and XL shirts.  He has some clothing but he could always use more

-Storage Unit-It costs 37.50 per month.  He finds aluminum cans and picks those up to pay for the storage unit.  Any cans you have that you can save, I will get those to him.

-Donations-if you would like to donate money you can send it to The Simple Project - 984 Johnson Rd, West Monroe, LA 71291 - note “Rev” in the memo section.  The Simple Project is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

This is one of many needs here in our community.  There are many more.  My heart is broken for what we have and how nice of a life we each live.  I believe we can make a Positive Change in the community by helping others.  Please distribute and share with others.  Together we can make a difference!  

Thanks.

Ron