We’re finally coming back to reality after the amazing success of our first volunteer day! Thank you to everyone who came out and got their hands dirty clearing out Constance’s packed bus (and a big shout out to Shane’s girlfriend Delaney for bringing the best spread of healthy snacks to fuel us throughout the day!). In just a few short hours, we managed to not only remove everything stored in the bus, but also sort through and organize it all into piles to keep, throw away and donate. Additionally, we managed to scrub down the interior of the bus so that by the end of the day, it looked like a completely different space!
It was amazing to add so many new faces to our growing group at THIMBY! Billy showed us his amazing plant-filled bus, whose five solar panels will provide all the electric power necessary to build Constance’s bus! He immediately got to work measuring up the bus and finalizing all the design schematics to turn the bus into a home. It was also the first time for many of us at THIMBY to meet Constance and her family in person. Constance was so excited by all the enthusiasm we had for the project and at one point, stepped into the bus as we were cleaning it out and looked around it amazement. When we asked her what was wrong, she said that it was unbelievable to see her dreams finally becoming reality. David and Miracle kept everyone’s spirits high as they ran around, helping decide what to keep and throw away.
This volunteer day really put our whole project and mission into perspective. I think that meeting everyone and seeing the joy and excitement on their faces really highlighted what this project means to so many people. Constance, David and Miracle aren’t just anonymous people who are victims of homelessness; they are real people with real stories and real lives who will really be affected by the outcome of THIMBY’s project. Though they continue to live their lives everyday and refuse to be bogged down or discouraged by their current situation, we can help create a stable environment for Constance and her family by turning their bus into a home. And if we are successful, THIMBY has the potential to deploy similar solutions in future projects and affect the lives of more than just one family in the Bay Area.
Last Sunday was the important first step to get the ball rolling for Constance’s Bus. Clearing all the unnecessary things kept from her past fueled Constance’s, and all of us at THIMBY, excitement for the future as we start transforming the bus into a home! But, what’s next? In the coming weeks, we will begin putting in flooring for the bus to prepare for the launch of our fundraiser on Thanksgiving with Kathleen at GRIP. Stay tuned for more updates on all the exciting things we have planned in the coming months!
-Nadine
