I love this event every year early in December: the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Annual Dinner.
Caregivers, supporters and helpers of the homeless – and the homeless themselves – come together to celebrate. These are not enablers of victims – they are rather draw forth and support the growth and health of those who ‘sleep outside’. This roomful of people who are working to change policies, find funding and see to the practical daily needs of those in shelters and out who are tenuously housed – or not housed at all. This community of folk who love homeless folk where they are, and then walk with them to a new place.
What a wonderful room to be in – a lot of love is present. David Singleton, Executive Director of thee Ohio Justice and Policy Center, was keynoter, and spoke about his years in New York City, running law clinics in soup kitchens and underground subway tunnels.
And this year one of my heroes, Mary Burke Rivers, received the buddy gray Lifetime Achievement Award. We all had tears in our eyes as she accepted the award while wiping her eyes. Thank you, Coalition and especially Josh Spring, for your hard work every day, and the work of creating the dinner each year. And thank you, Xavier University, for providing the space each year to hold this event.