Sunday Morning around 9 O’clock, I witnessed a humbling illustration of human suffering which at first glance looked like homeless people in a food line. I was startled by what I saw but the full impact didn’t really hit me until I returned home last night and started trying to describe to my wife what I actually saw. This morning I did a little research into it and was actually pretty surprised to find out this was an ongoing monthly function of a primarily agnostic/atheist group. Turns out They weren’t handing out food but other essential day to day needs of homeless people. Although I was actually stopped at the traffic light at 7th street and the I35 frontage road when I observed it, I wasn’t “quick thinking” enough to snap my own picture(s) but I borrowed these images from the folks at AustinHumanistAtWork.org. I’m sure they won’t mind me sharing their story here since I’m giving them a plug.
From information on their website, I gathered that the group was formed around 2009 under the original name of “Austin Atheists Helping the Homeless”. Soon after the group formed, its volunteer base began to expand to include agnostic, secular, freethinkers and even a few theists. As the group began to include volunteers outside the Atheist community they chose a little a more diverse name for themselves.
I had remarked to my wife “there must have been at least a couple hundred people in line” but according to the official count on their website, 219 people were served that day. The image below depicts the types of essentials being handed out by this organization and ranges from toothpaste and sunscreen to socks, underwear, backpacks and emergency solar blankets. Visit THIS LINK for a current list of the items they do and do not accept for donations. They also maintain an Amazon wish list which they keep updated with current needs. The Austin Humanists at Work organization is NOT currently approved as a 501(c)(3) designated organization so your monetary donation cannot be tax deductible at this time.
