Every year September rolls around and there is something about the weather changing and kids going back to school that reminds me of September 3rd, 1997. It’s a date that sticks out in my mind even 27 years later. It was the day that I was gaybashed out of my hometown and went to live on the streets of Toronto as a squeegee kid.
Today as Rev. Deb and I were working with Ian Green to plan the next installment of “Music Feeds The Soul”-our twice-annual concert that help raise money for our monthly soup lunch and gift card program- I mentioned that September 3rd was my homeless anniversary. Rev. Deb remarked that she had never heard of someone mentioning that as an anniversary. Which makes sense. Because for many people-myself included- becoming homeless isn’t something to celebrate, but each year I zoom with another former street kid and we eat doughnuts and talk about what it was like to be homeless youth and we celebrate. Because despite the harsh realities of street life, it was also a liberating moment for both of us. I escaped a small town where I knew that as a queer kid I wouldn’t survive to adulthood, and they escaped an abusive family. And we celebrate because unlike so many of the people I knew on the streets, we managed to survive and even thrive despite it all.
Every month folks come to our soup lunch and as I hand them a gift card they thank me and the church for allowing them in and I always tell them that once upon a time, someone did that for me. Churches, drop-in-centres, and Grandma’s who knitted hats and mittens that were given to us through outreach vans.
September is a time of change for many of us-kids go back to school, teachers go back to work, summer vacations are behind us, yet it’s also the season that leads into thanksgiving-a time to reflect on what we have and what we can give.
I hope that you will consider coming to the concert on November 2nd at 3pm. Entrance is by donation and all proceeds go to supporting our community through the soup lunches. And no matter who you are-whether you are struggling to survive or thriving, I pray that you will know you always have a home here at Westdale United.
With Blessings.