“We're all a lot closer to being out here on the streets than we are in that f***ing City Council building,” said Nicole, 31, pointing towards the local seat of political power this past Tuesday.
While many were watching election results come in last Tuesday, Nicole and other volunteers were distributing food and other essential items to a long line of Reno’s unhoused and neighbors in need.
As winter swiftly approaches, with colder nights and stormy days, their volunteer group says it could use more assistance.
Nicole and another organizer, who went by an alias Oliver, described how the harsher weather increases the need for vital resources and help from more volunteers.
“We definitely could use more support in winter” Oliver said, and listed items such as hot soup, shelter items like tarps and tents, sleeping bags, blankets, warm clothing, and hand warmers as items that could be life-saving during this time of year.
“If anybody’s willing to donate any of those things… obviously food is important, but right now keeping people alive [from cold] is the major stressor for us and the folks that come through the line,” Nicole said.
The “life-saving items” Oliver went on to say tend to also be the most expensive, and they frequently run out of hand-warmers as well as gloves and socks which can save people’s toes and fingers from frostbite.
Family Soup Mutual Aid, which just celebrated their four year anniversary, has gone from four friends putting together hygiene packs in a bedroom, to having close to “50 volunteers serving 200 people” on the busiest days.
Nicole and Oliver emphasized that anyone is welcome to come, and that you don’t even need to bring anything. “Even if you don't have anything to bring, just come out. Feeding people is enough, talking to people, and just treating everyone nicely as your neighbors is important,” said Oliver.
“Please come out,” Nicole added. “We’re all working class people… we all have that in common… that’s the most important thing is that we need to support each other.”
A volunteer who wanted to go by “K” also spoke to their experience volunteering with the group, describing it as “really eye opening”. Though K felt they were making an impact, she recognized the people “need a lot more” than they are able to provide. Even though, her experience has still been “important”.
“I think it's important for everyone to get to look each other in the eye. Sometimes I feel like the unhoused population never gets to be paid attention to. So just being able to engage in conversation and look at them like they're people is really important,” she said.
You can volunteer with Family Soup Mutual Aid every Tuesday evening at 5 p.m, at the Believe Plaza located on North Virginia Street, just south of The Row. If you can’t make it but are able to donate, they can be contacted via their Family Soup Mutual Aid social media about drop-off spots they have in the city.
In times of stress, anger, and anxiety, volunteering can have a profound positive effect on your mental well-being. You also have the ability to create real change in your community, which is especially important when so many in Reno are in need as winter approaches.
Our Town Reno reporting and photo by Dan Mariani