Vijya & Associates hopes you will join us in a volunteer opportunity we’ve been participating in for several years now- Operation Nightwatch.

The 4th Tuesday of every other month, we make a trip to Costco, buy enough food to feed dinner to 100+ people and then we go to Operation Nightwatch – in the central district of Seattle. Once there, we chop, dice, slice, boil, and cook until the first people arrive. (Soup, spaghetti, salads and sandwiches have been our specialties so far!)

• When:  Tuesday, September 22, 2009
• Time:  8pm-10:00pm
• Where:  300 14th Ave South, Seattle 98144
• RSVP:  206.418.6260; vijya@vijya.com

Once we start serving the food to those waiting to hear if they will be fortunate enough to get into a shelter for the evening – the time flies and we are cleaning up and heading home before you know it. Each time is a humbling experience, and we are newly reminded of how fortunate we are to have food and shelter and the support of friends and family around us.

Operation Nightwatch is a Christian ministry seeking to meet the physical, social, psychological, and spiritual needs of Seattle’s night community. They are dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor by caring for the homeless men, women and children late at night. They provide emergency dispatch to shelter, hotel vouchers for families, meals, blankets, and pastoral care for those in need. The services they offer are free of charge and are all funded principally by contributions from individual donors. They are staffed by hundreds of volunteers. They do not require any religious activity for access.

We share this with you because we would like to invite you to take part with us the feeling of community and sharing. Giving back to our community is one way we show that we truly care! Let us know if you can join us – vijya@vijya.com or 206.418.6260

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN 2009 ARE DWINDLING!
Mark your calendars today for either September 22 or November 24.

Homeless people are on their feet all day, and the only pair of socks they own are very likely to be wet, especially during Seattle’s rainy time of year. (September through June).

“Our feet get really chewed up,” says Fred. Working, walking around all day, and no change of socks. Yuck. You can guess how it is at night when guys in the shelter peel off their shoes.

In response, Operation Nightwatch hosts “Sock It to the Homeless” every October to kick off the season’s annual sock drive. Community groups, churches, youth groups, and concerned citizens bring new athletic socks to Operation Nightwatch and we have a ball . . . literally. Volunteers roll the socks into balls, thousands of them. These socks are distributed to homeless people at night through the rest of the year. In 2008, we collected more than 20,000 pairs of socks, gave them all away and needed even more!

Sock it to the Homeless 2009 is Sunday, October 25 from 1:30pm -3:00pm at the Shelter Dispatch Center, 302 14th Avenue S in Seattle. Plan to join us! The goal this year is 25,000 pairs of socks. Will you help?

For more information on “Sock It to the Homeless” call (206) 323 4359 or email here downtowner2003@hotmail.com.

Make a difference in the life of a homeless person today!