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Salvation Army, Man in a Box

Salvation Army, Man In A Box, raising awareness for Pittsburgh's homeless

 

When I set out to volunteer for the Salvation Army’s campaign Man In A Box, I really did not give any thought to the weather. February, 27 , temperatures should be around 40. Reality was a high of 13 with a wind chill of -4. I did my best to bundle up, a jacket, a sweater, 3 coats , a scarf , earmuffs, jeans and boots.

Fifteen minutes into my shift, I was freezing! My face and mouth became numb. My feet burned with cold, and my hands did not function. The bell rang with my shivering!
Flick, a DJ for 100.7, started this campaign last year, basically living in a box with minimal heat for three days, and living in the Salvation Army shelter at nights.
My shift, a mere 2 hours, should have been a breeze, however it gave me a bit of a glimpse into homelessness in Pittsburgh.
With my co-ringer Loretta, we set out to raise as much money for the Salvation Army as we possibly could. Engaging passersby and explaining our mission, Loretta and I also entertained the passers by with dancing and singing in an effort to stay warm.
We were impressed by three young men who approached our kettle with zip lock bags full of their piggy bank money. A woman carefully placed 10, $1 bills in the kettle while explaining she was once homeless and benefited by the services offered by Salvation Army , she felt they had saved her.
The generosity of the public amazed me, nearly everyone that passed our kettle put at least $1 and in some cases $20 to help the homeless of Pittsburgh's The UPS representative for the area , graciously brought Loretta and I a large hot chocolate, that helped!
At 5 pm, when my shift was over, I visited the Fairmont Hotel, where I removed my many layers and tried to warm up. I was extremely tired and cold. I returned to my warm home to reflect on the plight of the homeless. It was exhausting to endure the extreme cold temperatures. The thought of roaming the streets of Pittsburgh throughout the day, daunting........... The thought of the Salvation Army providing warm shelter at the end of the day, encouraging.
What an amazing organization! Anyone can fall on hard times, and the Salvation Army is there, offering assistance. Please take a moment to donate to the Salvation Army,www.wpa.salvationarmy.org