For the new year, Pate employees organized a coat drive to collect warm winter clothing for people living on the street in Dallas.
We paired up with an amazing local organization created by Pastor David Miranda who was an interpreter for Pate’s Spanish program before leaving to found his non-profit, The West End Streets project.
West End Streets is a hands-on, open air ministry that meets every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in Rosa Parks Plaza at the corner of Lamar and Elm streets.
It’s “a group of friends, who gather together with a common goal, to meet the needs of the people of Downtown Dallas.” Any typical Sunday you’ll see various individuals and groups show up with food, hot drinks, water and boxes of clothing. The location is in the heart of Dallas’s most transient area. More than two thousand people are estimated to be living on the streets.
“That’s why we chose to start here,” the group’s Facebook page explains. “People here are longing for something: love, a feeling of knowing that someone cares for them and hasn’t forgotten them, a hope that despite their present condition, they are going to be okay and are not alone.”
West End Streets’ parent group, West End Church, provides worship services during the event with guitar, singing and encouragement. The service concludes with a large prayer circle where people join hands with strangers and pray for each other.
On this drizzly Sunday, dozens of people showed up. Pate’s employees donated over a hundred items for the coat drive including coats, sweaters, blankets, hats, gloves, scarves and socks.
Our own Barbara S. and Liz P. set the items out on benches and chatted with people who came up to take what they needed as they sipped hot chocolate.
The informal get together brings people of all economic classes, races and life circumstances to meet one-to-one as people. The result? A spirit of comradery, friendship and hope.
We’re so proud of David’s work with people living on the streets. Many are living with traumatic brain injuries so it’s close to our heart. He exemplifies the mission of service to others and making a difference to people in our community. Thanks David for being an example to others. You’re inspiring! Thanks to all who donated for the coat drive – it was a really great day for us and the people you will keep warm this winter.
Special thanks to Pate’s Barbara and Liz for taking their own time on a Sunday morning to brave the weather for the coat drive and distribute the donations from staff at all three Pate locations (Anna, Dallas and Ft. Worth). You are also inspiring and really live out our core values.