WS Chronicle

By Judie Holcomb-Pack

The outreach committee of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 2690 Fairlawn Drive, has supported many local nonprofits, especially during the holiday season. This year they chose City with Dwellings as the recipient of their Advent project donation tree. 

City with Dwellings (CwD) is a local organization that helps people experiencing street homelessness to find stable and secure housing. This Advent (starting December 1) they are preparing Welcome Home Kits that the City with Dwellings’ staff give to the program participants when they’re ready to move into rental housing. Each new “homemaker” receives a Kitchen Kit and a Household Kit containing essentials for daily living. (Used furniture is provided by other organizations.)

On Sunday evening, Dec. 8, Carlos Tolbert, staff from City with Dwellings, gave testimony at the Forsyth County Industrial Area Foundation assembly at St. Stephens Missionary Baptist Church. Tolbert said that last year City with Dwellings helped 80 neighbors experiencing street homelessness move into rental homes.

Alvie Dove-Ali, a member of St. Anne’s outreach committee, said, “When deciding on the mission for our annual Advent Outreach Project, we sought a community partner doing the grassroots work to uplift our local community. We have partnered with City with Dwellings in the past and felt called to support their work by creating Welcome Home Kits.”
A Christmas tree covered with gift tags is located in the Kennedy Fellowship Hall of St. Anne’s. Written on each tag is an item or items for one of the kits. There are five copies of each tag on the tree since the goal is making five of each type of kit. Parishioners and visitors choose one or more tags, purchase the items, and then return them unwrapped to St. Anne’s by Sunday morning, Dec. 22. Items are placed in the new laundry baskets or new kitchen waste baskets near the tree. Then donors place a check mark in the space corresponding to the item(s) they brought on the chart on the wall near the tree.
The quantity of the item is listed on the tag, such as mugs (2) or dishwashing detergent (1), but more items can be purchased and would be appreciated. Cash donations are also accepted and the outreach committee will use these funds to purchase additional items. Monetary donations can be made via check to St Anne’s Episcopal Church with a memo line for Advent Outreach Project, or online at https://stanneswinstonsalem.org/donate/.

On Sunday, Dec, 22, after the 11 a.m. service, the donations will be sorted into the appropriate kits to be delivered to City with Dwellings. 

“Moving into a new house is a wonderful experience. You want to make the space your own. Creating a sense of warmth, love and home is something that cannot be described, but embraced. Everyday items that most of us take for granted are different for those living in the streets. Your life is one of survival,” said Dove-Ali.

“Gifts of a coffee mug, mop, bucket, cutting board, and bath towels are simple gestures of kindness, generosity and hope. It’s the little things that mean so much.”