Serving Latte of Love, Hope and Community

Starbucks is a favorite, if not a daily, stop for my sister, Peg, and I.  Knowing this, Sandra called St. Vincent de Paul on Thursday, September 24, to take a case:  A woman was found living in her car in the parking lot outside a local Starbucks. I mention the date because what followed has been a whirlwind of love, charity, and community action.

This Starbucks is always busy with a variety of customers from every ethnic and religious background; all ages.  Mothers with infants, tables of people playing cards, and others just gathering to discuss and solve world problems.  Some of the “regulars” know everyone and others just wave at familiar faces as they leave with their purchases.   Some employees even know our “drink preferences”.   This is the Community that reached out to help this woman.

By the time we met with our client at Starbucks on Friday, her story was known throughout the store.  One customer had already provided Thursday and Friday nights’ lodging for her.  Others had offered money.  Peg and I had our “private home visit” at a table outside the store.  Our client turned out to be a homeless woman who had been living in her car for 5 weeks and hadn’t eaten in 5 days.  Her story was not unlike others we have heard:  divorce, illness, accidents, etc. leading to loss of employment, eviction, nowhere to turn, and too ashamed to ask for help.  Unlike other cases, she was raised, educated and, until recently, lived in Dunwoody.  “Regulars” knew her when she would stop on her way to work to get drinks for the hospice patient she was taking care of. Others knew her from the Jewish Community.  She was one of us and the Dunwoody Starbucks’ Community went into action to help her.

A “core group” of people took charge.  Immediately, everyone was on their cell phone or BlackBerry finding resources to help her.  Within a couple of hours a plan took shape.  All Saints SVdP provided lodging in an extended stay hotel for one week and gave her Kroger cards.  The Jewish Community began organizing food and finding doctors willing to evaluate her health.  Other Starbucks customers began collecting laundry supplies, quarters and other staples she would need and All Saints SVdP took them to her.

By Friday, Oct 2, she had been seen by a doctor with a scheduled follow-up appointment.  This doctor arranged for her to be seen by a pulmonary specialist….both pro-bono.  She was given samples of medicine.  She is looking better and eating well. She’s been to the Jewish Family & Career Services to see what services were available to her and was given food from their pantry.  Maureen, from All Saints SVdP, gave us clothes to give her. Her health is improving, her spirits hopeful and she’s feeling better about herself.  Emails and meetings at Starbucks have kept everyone updated on her progress. This is Community action at its best!

We have not and will not solve all her problems.  That is not our goal.  We just wanted to give immediate and short term help.  We also wanted to direct her to resources that will lead to a future of self-sufficiency.  This experience has shown me, once again, what God expects from each of us:  To Help One Another.  This is what life is all about. 

To the wonderful Dunwoody Starbucks Community…..thanks for including us.   I lift my tall Pumpkin Spice Latte to ALL of you!