I plan to write about Tent City and 1Matters more in-depth later on, but I have to acknowledge that the annual event was supposed to be this weekend. Covid-19 has made it impossible to gather so many people in one place and keep safe.
Every year hundreds of volunteers come together for the sole purpose of Toledo’s houseless community. According to their own website, last year volunteers served 2,800 meals to around 1,200 pe
ople; medical professionals provided 350 people with care; barbers and stylists gave 172 haircuts; and over 200 ID’s and birth certificates were applied for. Along with the basic needs areas, there are clothing tents, people helping vets and non-vets find services, entertainment, and respect. The amount of community and compassion that happens over 2.5 days is astounding.
The Love-Squared crew takes 100 blankets every year. It’s always a weekend we look forward to. Not only are we part of the giant community gathered together, we get to see every child light up when they find the blanket that was meant to be theirs. Instead of writing more, and repeating what will be written later on, I will post some of my favorite photos from past Tent City weekends. Maybe you’ll even see some of your own squares in the photos.
