Woodworkers Helping the Homeless through Friends of the Carpenter
Mar 06 '09
The Bottom Line Their are many ways to give something of yourself to help others. For woodworkers in the Vancouver, Washington area, Friends of the Carpenter is a wonderful way to give.
A little over ten years ago a Vancouver, Washington couple wanted to find a way to help the homeless in the area. They came upon what seems to be a unique idea. The result of their thinking, praying, and planning has now helped hundreds of those who have no home find food, shelter, and, most importantly, someone who cares and shares with them.
Dozens of volunteers meet with the homeless several times a week in a non-threatening setting to let them help assemble kits of wooden projects that will then be sold to finance the homeless support community in Vancouver, Washington and the surrounding area. While the homeless and the volunteers work together they also talk to each other. Although this is a faith-based organization and unapologetic about it, the conversation is general and faith comes into that conversation naturally and only if the homeless person wants to participate.
Behind this outreach are an army of volunteers, mostly woodworkers, who make the kits or make other items that are sold through the Friends of the Carpenter retail store or wholesale to other retailers who support the cause. Another group makes runs to establishments that donate wood and supplies for this worthy charity, man craft booths at area events, and do the many other background tasks that make the outreach work.
Member volunteers also support other homeless outreach efforts in the area through group volunteerism and through, for example, storing the food supplies of a charity, that feeds the homeless daily, in their large warehouse.
A board of directors guides the small paid staff who manages the charity's activities. There is a shop manager that is in charge of the well equipped woodworking shop where volunteers can come to build projects and kits. There is a manager that finds both those with time, money, or materials to contribute and those who will handle the output of the woodworking shop or of those who work in their own shops to provide kits and product. I build wooden pens for them to sell and distribute for sale, for example. Others come in regularly and sit before one of their several scroll saws making beautiful wooden cross kits for the homeless to assemble.
People in the community have learned of this unique resource and ask for special projects for their neighbors, family, and friends. Recntly, for instance, a family was bringing a nine tear old boy home to care for until his life ends. They needed a bed for him that would protect him. They called Friends of the Woodworker . Calls went out to the volunteers and the bed will be designed and built for this young boy.
Local companies call for special wood projects. Friends of the Carpenter is building shipping crates for a local fruit wholesaler. They build decorative planters for a local nursery. They recently filled an order for a hundred wooden pens for a retailer.
Although faith based organizations are endangered by the unfriendly attention of the current national administration, it can survive with its many dedicated volunteers even without federal subsidies. The organization regularly helps the lives of the homeless and sometimes leads one or two to find solace in the religious community. The staff is dedicated and the money gathered is mostly spent to help the homeless rather than on salaries, overhead, or advertising. It gives those who might be uncomfortable working directly with homeless people an opportunity to contribute through their hobby or vocation, and it gives all of us who support it a feeling that we are doing something valuable, for the community and for our God.
You can read more about this worthwhile charity on their website at http://www.friendsofthecarpenter.org/
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