Alpharetta Gives

03/28/2020

Hello Everyone,
Thank you all for coming together to help our friend Steve! It’s hard to believe that it’s been over three months since he was living in a tent. He is doing well and is much healthier and happier.
Emory Hospital has been amazing and although many of their programs are on hold due to the pandemic, their Social Services department has visited him at the hotel and even brought his medications. They are trying to arrange for pain management and psychotherapy but both of those departments are closed down temporarily due to the pandemic. He has the same issues and concerns that any of us would have at end of life. Obviously, he has a huge fear of becoming homeless again.
He LOVES getting homecooked meals from you all and appreciates the visits and kindness that you have shown him. Steve calls me often to tell me what you brought and the conversations you have had with him. Someone brought their school age children to deliver a meal and the kids took up a collection for Steve in class and raised several dollars. Everyone was so moved my the selflessness those youngsters showed! If you’re interested in delivering a meal to Steve then please click on the following web link (or copy it into your web browser if clicking doesn't work) to go to the signup sheet: volunteersignup.org/LDTA8
To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do. Thank you for volunteering!
The folks at Extended Stay America have been good to him as well. The manager has really taken an interest in Steve and helps to look out for him and make sure he is on track with his medications. I’m very thankful for her help too. He has met a handful of friends over there (go figure) and has been spending a lot of time with a special lady. She is able to drive and takes him downtown to sit and people watch. He told me “we even held hands!” This seems to be the perfect place for him until I can raise enough money to transition him into assisted living.
Steve now has many of the basics that we often take for granted. He wants for nothing except a bottle of cologne all of a sudden!
I have used our donations to pay for the hotel for the last 4 months. We are now able to pay by the month at a lower rate and I have reserved the room for the foreseeable future to ensure that rate is locked in. The room is paid for through 4/15 so I am reaching out again to ask you to give whatever you can to help shelter Steve. Every single donation makes a difference and will be used to pay his monthly hotel bill(s).
There are 10-12 of us who have expressed an interest on helping Steve through his journey on an ongoing basis, I don’t know how many people will see this post because it’s so old so I will email those people directly. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping this man. I don’t have the means to support him by myself and it would kill me to see him on the street again.

Patrick Ferguson
[email protected]
770*883*9651 (text or vm)

Please visit Steve's FB page : Alpharetta Gives
·
If you would like to make a donation to help Steve with housing, meals, transportation and other needs please use:
PayPal
[email protected]
Venmo
Patrick-Ferguson-15828

Volunteer signup sheet

03/28/2020

Hello Everyone,
Thank you all for coming together to help our friend Steve! It’s hard to believe that it’s been over three months since he was living in a tent. He is doing well and is much healthier and happier.
Emory Hospital has been amazing and although many of their programs are on hold due to the pandemic, their Social Services department has visited him at the hotel and even brought his medications. They are trying to arrange for pain management and psychotherapy but both of those departments are closed down temporarily due to the pandemic. He has the same issues and concerns that any of us would have at end of life. Obviously, he has a huge fear of becoming homeless again.
He LOVES getting homecooked meals from you all and appreciates the visits and kindness that you have shown him. Steve calls me often to tell me what you brought and the conversations you have had with him. Someone brought their school age children to deliver a meal and the kids took up a collection for Steve in class and raised several dollars. Everyone was so moved my the selflessness those youngsters showed! If you’re interested in delivering a meal to Steve then please click on the following web link (or copy it into your web browser if clicking doesn't work) to go to the signup sheet: volunteersignup.org/LDTA8
To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do. Thank you for volunteering!
The folks at Extended Stay America have been good to him as well. The manager has really taken an interest in Steve and helps to look out for him and make sure he is on track with his medications. I’m very thankful for her help too. He has met a handful of friends over there (go figure) and has been spending a lot of time with a special lady. She is able to drive and takes him downtown to sit and people watch. He told me “we even held hands!” This seems to be the perfect place for him until I can raise enough money to transition him into assisted living.
Steve now has many of the basics that we often take for granted. He wants for nothing except a bottle of cologne all of a sudden!
I have used our donations to pay for the hotel for the last 4 months. We are now able to pay by the month at a lower rate and I have reserved the room for the foreseeable future to ensure that rate is locked in. The room is paid for through 4/15 so I am reaching out again to ask you to give whatever you can to help shelter Steve. Every single donation makes a difference and will be used to pay his monthly hotel bill(s).
There are 10-12 of us who have expressed an interest on helping Steve through his journey on an ongoing basis, I don’t know how many people will see this post because it’s so old so I will email those people directly. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping this man. I don’t have the means to support him by myself and it would kill me to see him on the street again.

Patrick Ferguson
[email protected]
770*883*9651 (text or vm)
·
If you would like to make a donation to help Steve with housing, meals, transportation and other needs please use:
PayPal
[email protected]
Venmo
Patrick-Ferguson-15828

Volunteer signup sheet

02/26/2020

In an effort to provide ongoing assistance to Steve, we are organizing a community meeting for anyone who would liked to get involved. This meeting is specific to people who are willing to contribute on a monthly basis for Steve's expenses. For example, if you are willing to contribute $20 each month to provide housing, food, transportation and other necessities, we'd like you to attend.

So many people have reached out wanting to help Steve! The response has been overwhelming and we need a more efficient and consistent way to allow our community to get involved.

PLEASE SEND US A FACEBOOK MESSAGE IF YOU CAN ATTEND SO WE CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

02/21/2020

I saw a man sleeping on a pallet behind CVS a couple of months ago so I struck up a conversation and gave him the cash in my pocket. I began noticing him more frequently and always stopped to check on him and ask what he needed. He never asked for anything but I could tell what he was lacking: love, compassion, and dignity. I learned a lot about him and myself as time went on.

I learned that he is a widower undergoing treatment for late stage prostate cancer and related health issues. His wife died of cancer many years ago and that haunts him everyday. He was robbed and shot three times on Peachtree Street less than a year ago. Being homeless, he was carrying his Birth Certificate, Drivers License, and Social Security Card. Those were all stolen. Try accomplishing anything without them (including obtaining replacements) and you will find that it’s next to impossible. Steve always maintains a great attitude – even in the face of adversity, I also learned that I couldn’t just pass on by and pretend that there wasn’t something I could do.

I donated my camping gear to Steve and set up a site in the woods for him right before Christmas. He loved the setup as it kept him dry but he often had to sleep in the airport when the temps got too low. I knew he couldn’t survive the winter like that. As fate would have it, one amongst us called the Alpharetta Police Department to advise that they “didn’t appreciate seeing a man camping in the woods in Alpharetta.” The person even waited for the police to show up (please add him to your prayer list). The police gave Steve two weeks to relocate. The APD was friendly and helpful throughout the process. They even suggested a new campsite. Abel from Citgo and I relocated him when the weather finally broke.

A stranger saw us breaking down camp and offered to help. We explained what we were doing and he went on his way. While we were setting up at the new site the man showed up with bags of canned goods and supplies. That was reassuring for all of us because the camp site is in an out of the way place. Steve is pretty isolated and no longer has his friends and passers by to assist him with donations of food and money.

The satisfaction of setting up a safe/permanent camp and the kindness of that stranger was snuffed out shortly thereafter by the vandals that destroyed his tent. Steve was heartbroken and told me repeatedly how much he loved that tent and that it was his very own home. I ordered an identical tent from Amazon. But where was he going to sleep that night?

I am recently disabled with a heart condition and my wife and I are living on one income. Sometimes money gets tight but we’re resourceful. Anyway, I had to call my wife to brainstorm. We decided that we could put him up in a hotel for a couple of nights if we didn’t go to the grocery store that week. So, that’s what we did. Meanwhile, I have called or met with every imaginable organization for assistance.

My wife told me a short time later that there was a thread on Nextdoor titled “The Homeless Man Living behind CVS.” I replied and started a new thread. The response was overwhelming with over 300 comments offering support, love, and advice. We have raised enough money to keep him in the hotel until 2/28. Steve has received donations of home cooked meals, camping supplies, hygiene items, clothes, books, and music. It’s been a blessing to see him shed tears of joy instead of despair and frustration. He is beside himself that total strangers would be so kind to him. Steve keeps telling me “look at me now and look at me three weeks ago!” The abundance of love our community has demonstrated has renewed his will to live and he wants to continue his treatment.

It's easy to pretend that there isn't a homeless problem in Alpharetta but outreach teams recently completed their annual point in time count and identified 344 individuals living on the streets. Many are addicts, alcoholics, or have mental issues. Some are just down on their luck. Steve is a great guy and needs our help. Most of the public resources are geared toward sustainability. In other words, they might offer temporary assistance and education opportunities as long as you're going to be able to maintain employment and take care of yourself. That isn't the case with Steve. He's terminally ill and isn't going back to work. This group was created to pull the community together and provide what this man needs in the most direct way possible.

Please PM me if it is in your heart to share your resources with your neighbor in need or donate via PayPal or Venmo. My PayPal ID is [email protected] and my Venmo ID is patrick-ferguson-15828. Thank you so much for giving!!

02/21/2020

Would you like to provide a meal for Steve? You can sign up here! https://www.volunteersignup.org/PTR8T

Please read details on the sign up page for how to deliver the meals.

Volunteer signup sheet

02/19/2020

If you would like to make a donation to help Steve with housing, meals, transportation and other needs please use:

PayPal
[email protected]

Venmo
Patrick-Ferguson-15828