Atheists Helping the Homeless • DC: A New Group in Washington DC Area

WASHINGTON - Aug. 15, 2021 - PRLog -- Atheists Helping the Homeless DC (AHH DC) is a new group named for similar secular charity groups of other cities.  AHH DC is a small group of atheists, but they cannot be just atheists. They are citizens. They want to help, to give, to learn, and to receive. They may be Beyond Belief, but they have ethics; they have moral compasses. They are integral parts of our society and are proud to be your family, your friends, and your neighbors, and they want to help our community. AHH DC operates in Washington DC and nearby areas.

Imagine you live on the street, maybe you have a tent or maybe not. Maybe you live out of your car or in a shelter. You've got very little space and you carry many of your belongings with you so they don't get lost. AHH DC provides small items (mostly toiletries) for people who are homeless: socks, disposable safety razors, combs, and soap, etc. The items might last a day or a week (disposable razor) or much longer (toothbrush), but they are lightweight and portable and can easily be carried in pockets or backpacks. AHH DC does not provide shelter, food, or training, etc.; those are large tasks carried out by large agencies. AHH DC is a small group of volunteers.

AHH DC learns from their clients. People experiencing homelessness tell stories about life on the streets, about their families, about alienation, about poverty, about addiction, about successes, and about friendships. They have told the AHH DC that the best donations are socks. Socks are king followed by mini-flashlights and safety razors. Toilet paper is high on the list.

AHH DC operates on donations. So far there have been enough to support distribution events about once a month. They set up a table for 2-3 hours on a sidewalk where homeless people are passing by to distribute items. The last event (August 2021) in Silver Spring, MD was able to help over 75 clients.

As a relatively new group, an immediate goal of AHH, DC is to achieve public awareness. Their website is www.atheistshelping.org. You may write to them at atheistshelping@gmail.com.