The mission of the AHHDC is to help people experiencing homelessness in Washington DC and nearby areas. They are motivated by an internal sense of morality. They want to help, encourage, receive, and learn.
Their methods are straightforward. They collect simple items that people experiencing homelessness might need, carryable materials. They collect small items for people who walk everywhere they go: nail clippers, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, small flashlights, soap, and socks, etc. In winter, they provide gloves, jackets and sweaters, and pull-over hats.
On Saturday, December 10, 2022, the AHHDC distributed Hygiene Kits, jackets, blankets, and gloves to 120 people. This was the largest number of clients ever served at any event, and it represented a 20% increase over typical Distribution Events. Clients came from Washington DC and Montgomery County, MD. Many arrived on foot. Some clients reported on their situations.
One man said that he lives in a tent in the woods and that he greatly appreciated the socks, deodorant, and soap. A second person described how he lost his job when his employer closed due to COVID; he never thought he would be homeless. And he was just trying to get a job and get back on his feet again. It is difficult to get a job without an address or telephone.
Another person told the AHHDC that his wallet and ID had been stolen, and he could not get a job without an ID. He said it was almost impossible to get a new ID because the Montgomery County/Washing DC systems were nearly impossible to navigate; he had been trying for months. Montgomery County, MD turned him away because his last address was in Washington DC though he lives in the county now. Washington DC agencies had impossible demands. For instance, they wanted a birth certificate. He has no address that the certificate can be mailed to. He doesnt have the $50 needed to pay for the certificate. And he felt it was nearly impossible to get an appointment with Washington DC agencies. If he got an appointment it only led to another appointment and so on.
The charity depends on volunteers who help in many ways. They assemble and distribute the Hygiene Kits, on the first and second Saturdays of each month (respectively). They proof the AHHDC website and help write position papers. They write blog posts. The AHHDC has a wish list at Amazon.com (https://rb.gy/od1amk) where donors can purchase needed items that are shipped directly to the charity; volunteers keep the list up-to-date. The volunteers are Humanists with many different beliefs, Some are Hindu, and some are adherents to other religious beliefs; some are atheist or agnostic. They are all united by the desire to help people experiencing homelessness.
The next distribution event will be in Silver Spring, Maryland on January 14, 2023. The schedule of events is posted on the AHHDC website (https://www.atheistshelping.org).
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