2004
Blanket Drive
BIG Success, in many ways.

By David Gary

Convener, Integrity Alabama

December 28, 2004

Unprecedented giving, both monetarily and through volunteer hours, enabled Integrity Alabama to provide 1,058 blankets through ten different agencies at more than a dozen distribution points.

This year's effort benefited Birmingham-area homeless, working poor, immigrant families, indigent nursing home patients, clients of two homeless shelters, people affected by AIDS and mentally ill group home residents.

The Rev. Deacon Mary Vandagriff, recently named chapter chaplain, reported “very positive and appreciative” response to an initial distribution to clients of Community Kitchens at St. Andrews.    A social worker at Jefferson DHR, which has received blankets three years now for distribution to clients of the Children's Assistance Unit, describes the ministry as an effective response to, " ... the neediest of the needy."

The blanket drive has also included a response to people living with AIDS by purchasing items that are not readily available through existing social service programs. A significant increase of service to this community occurred this year, when every client of Birmingham AIDS Outreach and AIDS Alabama, approximately 310 people, received at least three gift items.

The Rev. Dr. Ruth LaMonte, recently named rector of Trinity Church, initiated another distribution point in Bessemer as a part of the 2004 drive.  Networking through the parish's neighborhood association and the Bessemer Mayor’s office, it is hoped this effort will become a regular distribution point for needy in the western part of metropolitan area.

The Details

In early December, blankets were delivered to Community Kitchens at St. Andrew's, the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources (DHR), Birmingham AIDS Outreach (BA0), Grace By Day at Grace-Woodlawn and the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Central Alabama.  Additional distributions were made to:

• Indigent and homeless people in the Southside, Eastlake and Woodlawn neighborhoods;

• Indigent nursing home residents in North Birmingham;

• Clients of Hospitality Network sheltered at All Saints-Homewood the last week of December;

• Clients of a downtown housing facility for women and children; and,

• Residents of a group home for the mentally ill.

Networking and Coalition Building Evidenced
 

Interfaith, interdenominational and coalitional are good descriptions of the 2004 drive.  Primarily supported by donors from St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Integrity Alabama, and Grace Episcopal Church-Woodlawn, this year's blanket drive was also generously supported by many others. 

Friends participating were from the Cursillo and Education for Ministry (EFM) Communities, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)-Birmingham, Communities of Faith for Full Inclusion (COFFI), Central Alabama Pride and Equality Alabama.  Episcopal parishioners from Anniston, Jasper, Gadsden and Tuscaloosa also supported the effort. 

Additionally, some 16 volunteers from various parishes and groups donated more than 60 hours to the effort.

Started as a service project of Integrity Alabama in response to the needs of homeless and indigent people serviced by Community Kitchens and Grace By Day, the winter blanket drive has distributed more than 2000 blankets over the past four winters.

Thanks be to God and many thanks to everyone who had a part in making this possible.