FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — A Federal Way homeless shelter is providing people experiencing homelessness with hot meals, clothing, and a sense of community on Thanksgiving.
‘FUSION,’ a non-profit organization focused on providing emergency shelter and transitional housing, is based in Federal Way on South 328th Street.
Its mission is to provide “housing and support services to families experiencing homelessness in our community so they will have a safe, secure environment as they work toward self-sufficiency,” according to its website.
The organization held its Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday and served nearly 100 people.
“This time of the year, people should not be unsheltered. We have a lot of people show up here. We don’t have room to serve everybody. So we make sure they have coats, hats, gloves, sleeping bags. So we try to make sure everyone is going to be at least as warm as can be,” said David Harrison, executive director of ‘FUSION.’
Harrison told us that the issue of homelessness is “highly significant,” and it goes beyond what many people may see in public.
“Not only just the people you see on the streets, but it’s the people you don’t see that are living in the tents that are unsheltered. People that are living in their cars,” he said. “People that are couch surfing. Staying with friends, looking for shelter.”
VOLUNTEERS:
Volunteers from different non-profit organizations across the community shared their personal time to serve plates filled with hot tasty meals and give families of all backgrounds a sense of belonging.
“Thanksgiving is about community, bringing people together,” Harrison said.
For Mick Gerber, a volunteer, the mission personally resonated with him.
It was his first time volunteering at the event with his family.
“I grew up low income, off food stamps and everything. So coming here, giving back to the community is what I want to do,” he said. “I feel like it’s important, especially on Thanksgiving, because they don’t have a family to go to. Or they don’t have a home to go to.”
“Spread joy. Spread love. Make the world a better place,” Gerber added.
PEOPLE ATTENDING DINNER:
We spoke with people, who attended the dinner to receive a warm meal, to learn about their personal stories, including Robert Freeman, who grabbed dinner with his three children.
“Without ‘FUSION,’ we would be in our car,” he shared.
Freeman said the non-profit is a “blessing” to him and his family after he had opened up and described some of the challenges his family is facing.
“We don’t have mom so I’m a single dad, and it’s just us. I’m trying to piece it together,” he said.
Freeman said the non-profit has allowed him to provide his children with a warm place to sleep as he works to support them.
“Not having to sleep in the car is a blessing,” he said. “I’m appreciative that we’ve found this place, that we got in here. I wish there were more places like it.”
Rosaleth Beckford, a mother, also shared a similar feeling of gratitude.
“I am grateful to be in this place because it’s full of warmness. It’s full of joy. And to see people taking their time when they could be with their family. They’re taking their time to take care of the homeless people. It makes me feel good,” she said. “It’s so beautiful to see that there’s still people with kind hearts. There’s still people that they still got love in their heart.”
Beckford said she and her daughter had faced overwhelming challenges before they were introduced to ‘FUSION.’
“It hasn’t been easy for me,” she explained. “I have been in serious situations, many situations, that I would not wish it for nobody. But I’m very grateful first of all to God. First of all to God and I’m very grateful to the personalities here.”
“I will continue to push for more in my life for my daughter,” she added.
If you’d like to learn more about FUSION or donate to help people who may need support, please click here.
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