I can’t stop thinking about Aron, the homeless man we met last Friday at the doctor’s office. I couldn’t help him with much at the time. My partner gave him $7 and we drove him to Martin’s Meats where he could have a “suspended sandwich” and then said goodbye to him. Oh, and we gave him one of our old umbrellas that we’ve had for probably close to 20 years. We bought new ones lol.
Tonight I was thinking about what I could do to help him if we saw him again before it got too cold outside. I know that one way I could help him is to make him a blanket. I have been crocheting since 1988, so I could whip him up something in a week. But my carpal tunnel syndrome would prevent me from doing that. So I went on Google to search for blankets for the homeless and I came across a website at the very top of the list called “The Sleeping Bag Project.”
The Sleeping Bag Project also known as “Ugly Quilts” was established in 1985 by “My Brothers Keeper Quilt Group.” They offer a free pattern on their website for people to make a sleeping bag out of your old sheets, shirts, blankets, or whatever you have that is old and ready to retire to the great beyond. Any fabric that you already have that you are ready to part with can be used to make this sleeping bag. That’s why it’s called Ugly quilts, because it uses random fabrics in a specific pattern. It’s not supposed to be pretty, it’s supposed to be cheap for anyone to make so they can give it away for free. Also, it’s supposed to prevent anyone from taking them from the homeless to sell. If they have no monetary value, then thieves won’t take them.
My first boyfriend and I spent our first couple of weeks together living in the park. We were so terrified of sleeping, so we were literally awake for 24 hours a day. We were afraid of either getting murdered, or robbed of what little we had. I can understand if anyone is afraid of their sleeping bag being taken away from them, because when it gets cold, it’s unbearable.
So this is what I would like to do. I don’t want to use our old sheets and blankets and shirts and what not. I want to buy fleece at the craft store because fleece is cheap and very warm. I’d love to buy enough to make at least 10 sleeping bags. They don’t have to be perfect, but they do have to keep you warm.
Here is where I found the image at the top of this post. It’s from The Sleeping Bag Project on Pinterest.
Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what we have, but there are people who have less than we do, so we should try to help those less fortunate by giving them things they need to stay warm. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, just make them a sleeping bag to help keep them warm in the winter. That is if that is what you want to do. I’m not trying to force anyone or make anyone feel guilty, I’m just saying there are people out there who need them.
Diary of a Gay Nerd 