ASU professor Neal A. Lester says one of the worst things about becoming homeless can be the loss of one’s humanity.
His long-running outreach program “Spontaneous Service Saturdays” — which, at this point, is perhaps a bit misnamed — aims to address that need, both for volunteers and the people they assist.
“Helping the homeless is a transformative experience because it teaches many of us about what we take for granted: a place to live and sleep, as well as some measure of human kindness,” said Lester, Foundation Professor of English and founding director of Project Humanities.
Every other Saturday, he helps volunteers organize in downtown Phoenix to distribute various items, including clothes, shoes, sandals, backpacks, books and magazines. "Homeless people read," Lester said in an interview.
Among the things that sets the Project Humanities outreach apart, he said, is that organizers ask those they serve which items would be most useful. Also, Lester said, volunteers and homeless people address each other by name.
“Such service reminds everyone that homelessness is a circumstance and not an identity,” he said.
The work began in 2014, when Lester, on a whim, asked students and community supporters to gather and give away clothes and shoes from their closets. He saw an ongoing need and decided to make it a year-round effort.
The outreach takes place from 6:45 to 8:15 a.m. every other Saturday on the sidewalk at S. 12th Avenue between W. Jefferson and W. Madison. The next event takes place Saturday, July 16, and organizers welcome donations and volunteers.
For information, visit the initiative’s website, or call 480-727-7030.
More Arts, humanities and education
Honoring innovative practices, impact in the field of American Indian studies
American Indian Studies at Arizona State University will host a panel event to celebrate the release of “From the Skin,” a collection over three years in the making centering stories, theories and…
ASU alum's humanities background led to fulfilling job with the governor's office
As a student, Arizona State University alumna Sambo Dul was a triple major in Spanish, political science and economics. After graduating, she leveraged the skills she cultivated in college —…
ASU English professor directs new Native play 'Antíkoni'
Over the last three years, Madeline Sayet toured the United States to tell her story in the autobiographical solo-performance play “Where We Belong.” Now, the clinical associate professor in…