July 2013

July 7th, 2013, Week 16 care packages for the homeless of Logan Square, Chicago.  70 care packages have been delivered as of today.

This week, after some discussion, is the week Nathan and I start interviewing some of the recipients of the care packages.  I stopped, parked my car and discussed the details with Nick and then Ted.  It was overwhelming to talk to Nick and find out some of the details about his life that Ive been wondering about for the past three months.  Tomorrow is the day for Nicks interview and from our brief conversation, its going to be very powerful and moving.  I feel emotionally up for it, Ive been preparing myself for a while.  Ted wants to do his interview on a Monday or some day during the week.  Ill have to schedule work around that.  I caught a glimpse today of Nicks life and Im still trying to register everything.

week 16 care packages, total of 70 have been made and delivered.

week 16 care packages, total of 70 have been made and delivered.

July 13th, 2013, Week 17 care packages for the homeless of Logan Square, Chicago. 75 care packages have been delivered as of today.

I approached making and delivering the care packages differently this week.  My friend, Nathan and I were putting together interviews on film with the recipients of the care packages.  I was able to talk to Nick and Michael and capture the interviews on film to share with the public.  I delivered the care packages over a three day period, finding the time to park my car and talk as I delivered the bags.  Roger and Ted were more apprehensive but agreed to be interviewed, its just a question of when.  Roger is 52 and has been homeless for over five years. He suffers deep depression and has a number of medical ailments.  He has an open wound that is growing and getting worse on his leg.  Its hard for him to keep it clean as sometimes his bandages consist of dirty socks and electrical tape.  He told me hes been suffering from it for over a year.  When I asked him why he didnt seek treatment sooner, he told me he thought he would have been dead by now and only now talks about getting treatment.  His teeth are all broken as well as a result of an assault.  He stays outside 365 days a year, my impression was he had an episode at some of the shelters, due to his depression, that keeps him away from people.  Its hard for me to find hope for Roger.  I may try to get him some medical treatment if he’ll let me.  He seems to enjoy talking to me.

Nathan and I will be editing the interviews today to share.  I hope it will provide a peek into this world for a lot of people.  I hope it affects them as deeply as it has me.  I never thought I’d be interviewing these people.  I find myself caring more and more and its effect has been great on my personal life in the caring of others around me.  I hope it inspires others to make care packages to offer kindness and hope to those that need it, no matter what their story, no matter what put them on the streets, their doing or not.  This has been about making connections through kindness and empathy for fellow human beings.  I’m not concerned with how they got to be on the streets.  No matter what their story, they are living very hard, dangerous lives.  Theres still hope for these people.

Nick, age 32, homeless in Logan Square, Chicgo

Nick, age 32, homeless in Logan Square, Chicgo

July 19th, 2013, Week 18 care packages for the homeless of Logan Square, Chicago.  82 care packages have been delivered as of today.

 I like to make care packages for my customers.  It shows them where some of the profits are spent as well as creating an opportunity for something good to take place.  I tell them they can either keep the care package and use it with the mindset of homelessness.  Thinking about what they would need, practicality of it or look through the contents with the same mindset and deliver the bag.  I was able to deliver a care package to the office of State Rep. Toni Berrios, who has always been a supporter of mine as well as supply me with a list of resources for the homeless that go into the bags.  I also dropped off one to Alderman Rey Colons office for his staff to do the same thing.  It always feels great to share what Ive learned and have a positive exchange about something negative, like the homeless problem in the united states.  Im really hoping more people will venture out with thier own acts of kindness or support my efforts.

July 26, 2013, Week 19 care packages for the homeless of Logan square, Chicago.  90 care packages have been made and delivered as of today.

What I’ve taken away from this so far…

Im an artist first and foremost.  Everything I do is filtered through that mindset and mechanism; part of which is sharing it with the public.  Throughout this process of making and delivering these bags, I’ve been searching for a way to share what Ive experienced with people.  The videos help greatly but wanted to share with people as much as I could about the effect this has been having on my life.  My hope is for others to preform acts of kindness with no motive other than itself with the hope others will experience similar things.  I began making these care packages after a financially tough winter, mostly due to an injury then surgery on my arm last June.  This affected me financially and I made less money with my painting company as a result of the injury.  Like most inspiration for my art, it was from this emotional low that I needed to do something to break out it.  Sharing what I had in the way of clothing and food became therapy as well as an exercise of kindness.  Im not sure what I needed more.  My arm is much better, getting stronger every week but i’m still recovering from last year, playing catch up.  From the first week of making the care packages Ive been making them every week, delivering them on the weekends.   I shared what I was doing along the way and people wanted to help.  They saw value in what was happening and through that I felt some validation as well as making discoveries about myself and others.  The time has gone by so quickly, Its hard for me to believe over 80 care packages have been made so far.

Im pretty lucky to have my life…

Ive really learned to accept, I have a pretty good life for myself.   Reminding oneself of the positive aspects of your life is a good thing.  This put myself and my life into a new perspective, to value what I have and appreciate it.  I don’t feel the same stress I once did about the problems that occur in my life.  I simply appreciate things more.

I mean what I say…

The idea of the casual small talk that comes in our conversations a hundred times a day.  I noticed I was speaking on “auto pilot” throughout a lot my passing conversations everyday.  Speaking and meeting the homeless in my community made me evaluate my words to them, focus on the importance of conversation in a more meaningful way.  The quick exchanges we all go through, “have a great day”, “what are your plans for the weekend?”, “take care”, “talk soon”, “great top see you”, etc.  In my mind I had to alter slightly my speech with the homeless when I saw them.   When you talk to them about how their day is going, its just not the same as yours.  This more sincere conversation has crossed over into my conversations for the better with people I run into.

Stronger connection with my community and friends…

Since the beginning, I’ve reached out to a few companies and local retailers for some assistance, I was fortunate enough to get the bags donated from the local Strack and van Til grocery store as well as a donation of apple sauce packets from GoGo Squeez as well as reconnecting with local politicians for help spreading my experiences while making these care packages.  My friends have been incredible, I’ve received so many donated Target and Costco gift cards to help me make these weekly deliveries.  Nathan Schill, an old friend and fantastic videographer has been volunteering his time and energy in putting these videos together.  Without Nathan and his generosity, the view of this process would go undocumented and recorded.  Many friends, from all over, have told me they found themselves approaching the homeless in a different light, because “if Gene can do this, I can do something too”, or “what can I do in my community?”.  Some people are donating to my care packages or making their own care packages in their neighborhoods and taking away something positive from the experience.  The more people find out about the care packages the more people offer assistance.  Currently a friend of mine has organized a show as a Stella and Dot representative and donating all of her commission to this project.  Shes sharing the videos and raising awareness to the homeless problems, something I’m very grateful for.  I’ve been making these care packages for my new customers as well and offer them the bag so they can either keep it for themselves with the homeless issue in mind or deliver it themselves and make a connection, even if just for a second, the connection is very important.  A customer of mine recently showed interest in the possibility of helping one of the homeless people from the video with employment.  What are the positive possibilities of sharing these stories in the next nine months?  Its exciting to think of the events that could happen to better these peoples lives.

These are human beings…

I’ve said it many times, the idea of suspending the concept of “who deserves what?” when sharing kindness.  I want to eliminate judgement when it comes to the homeless that receive the care packages.  I find I’m also eliminating judgement in my daily life.  It doesn’t matter what happened in their past to put them on the streets.  These are human beings, worthy of eye contact and compassion, worthy of conversation and empathy for their struggle.  I’ve realized what an amazing ability human beings have to cope with pain and adversity.  Part of coping with being homeless is the daily struggle to stay positive and the brain seems to implement defense mechanisms that make it possible to cope with this hard life and somehow make it bearable.  I would imagine its that defense mechanism that would also make it hard to get off the streets, especially with other obstacles like depression, addiction and isolation.  I can’t believe what I’ve experienced the past three months and want to share with everyone this process.  I can only imagine what could happen in the next 9 months.  The point to what Im saying is this, there is a  ripple effect when it comes to things like this.  If everyone reached out to these people in some way, some act of kindness, I find it hard to believe there would be any homeless at all, based on the support and dialogue I’ve received during this process.  Apply these ideals to your life and you can understand why  I feel like I’m benefiting more than the homeless that receive these care packages.

July 27th, 2013:

I met Dominick today, looks like hes in his 20’s and was sitting on the ground with his sign beside the exit ramp   I never met him before and gave him a care package.  He said he needed to get to the hospital and I asked him what was wrong.  He said he was suffering withdrawal symptoms and by the look of it he was in a lot of pain.  His sign read, that he needed a bus pass to get to cook county hospital and asked me for help getting one.  He told me he hated to ask me after I gave him the care package but he was in really bad shape.  He told me he was sick of living like this.  I picked him up a $20.00 bus pass went back to find him but he wasn’t at the exit ramp.  Ill go back in a hour or so.  He told me he’d be at the underpass across the street if I couldn’t find him.  I’ll check back later and hope he gets some help.

 

week 19 care packages with contents displayed. total of 90 have been made and delivered.

week 19 care packages with contents displayed. total of 90 have been made and delivered.

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