Innovative local group preaches compassion for the homeless
In an extraordinary display of selflessness, caring, and humanitarianism, a local group called the Human Initiative was formed to empower the homeless population by helping them obtain basic necessities, as well as showing them compassion, while treating them as equal members of the human race.
The holidays are supposed to be about giving, family, love, smiles, and cheer; which for most people is the Christmas time scenario. For others, the holidays are just the same cold nights on the streets with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and with no one and nothing besides the clothes on their back to do it in.
Public records indicate that roughly 4,000 people experience homelessness in Chattanooga annually, with between six and seven hundred people sleeping on either the street or in a shelter each night; Happy Holidays, right?
The staggering numbers are steadily increasing, with a 300 percent rise over the last several years. The people that are experiencing homelessness are individuals, and families alike. Women, children, and men all equally suffer, often being neglected by even the most basic of necessities.
The Human Initiative began in 2014 and has been working annually ever since to lift spirits, and brighten lives. The group’s main focus is their annual Day of Giving, which takes part on Christmas Day, and is set to spread holiday cheer.
According to their website, thehumaninitiative.org, “The Human Initiative was born out of love and a desire to serve those that are often forgotten or ignored. Our mission is to provide those in need with basic necessities for survival, but equally as important, to offer them love in the form of a handshake, a hug, and conversation without expectation or judgment. Each individual that we encounter is treated with respect and love. We are a secular group and refrain from persuading others to adopt any beliefs.”
The group has a unique way of obtaining goods for the needy, where they do have donation drop boxes set in place around the city, they also do a silent auction that features donated goods from local vendors. The high-quality products that they have to offer on the auction block make it impossible to ignore. This year, amongst one of a kind jewelry, artwork, massages, and services, club level season tickets to Chattanooga Football Club were included and bidding started at just fifteen dollars.
The money that they get from the auctions moves forward to purchase backpacks, totes, winter coats, scarves, gloves, hats, hygiene products, flashlights, batteries, toiletries, gift cards; things that keep people alive and offer basic human needs.
This year the Day of Giving will be held in the Muse + Metta parking lot, right across the street from the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. Volunteers will be handing out gift bags, outdoor supplies, and other winter gear. They will also be giving haircuts and providing massage therapy.
Sometimes, people altruistically do things simply out of love, compassion, and humanity; these are the things that joined forces to help create the Human Initiative. It is a rare and beautiful gem gleaming brightly out of Chattanooga, let's support them to help them continue to grow.
Donations may be dropped off at Salon La Bella in Hixson, Real Roots Café in Ft. Oglethorpe, The Downtown Public Library, and Four Bridges Outfitters in the Northshore. For volunteer information, contact the lead organizer Drew Miller at (423) 280-0343, or direct message the Human Initiative Facebook page.