As families gather to give thanks and spend time with one another this time of year, many are inspired by the holiday spirit to donate their time and money to those in need. Twin City Mission, a nonprofit in Bryan College Station, helps community members help each other year-round, not just during the holiday season. They have four main programs: Homeless & Housing Services, Domestic Violence Services, Youth & Family Services, and Donation & Resale Services.
“Our goal is to connect people who can help to people who need help,” says Ron Crozier, director of community relations for Twin City Mission. “We don’t want the attention on us. It should be on the community supporting the community.”
While individuals and families stay in their shelters, get free meals from their Community Café, and shop at their resale shop year-round, Twin City Mission’s impact is most visible around the holiday season. Crozier says he’s inspired by seeing a lot of the community stepping up and wanting to help around the holidays.
“All the events we put on are valuable to us, but the most important thing we get out of them is awareness,” says Crozier. “We all know that there’s homeless people, and what we want to do is educate our community; instead of saying a ‘homeless family,’ say ‘a family who is homeless.’ That humanizes them. Nobody chooses to be homeless. Nobody chooses to be a victim of domestic violence. We try to use these high-profile campaigns to spotlight that. The people we help are exactly that: people.”
Some of their programs in November and December include their annual Blanket and Coat Giveaway, free Thanksgiving meal, and Winter Solstice Candlelight Vigil.
This year, the Blanket and Coat Giveaway is on Nov. 21 from 9am until they run out. With the help of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets 3rd Regiment, Twin City Mission placed more than 65 collection boxes around B/CS and is accepting donations until Nov. 18. Starting at 6am the day of the giveaway, people will line up down the block at Twin City Mission’s facility at 412 Bryan Ave to get help finding the right sized coats to take home for free.
“In the past we had a volunteer who was walking through the coats with a gentleman, and he just couldn’t find anything to fit him,” says Crozier. “Our volunteer took his coat off, let the guy try it on, gave it to him, and sent him on his way. What motives volunteers, nobody knows. It’s all personal. But the amount of impact they have… you can’t put a price tag on it.”
For Thanksgiving, Twin City Mission hosts a huge traditional meal from 11am to 1pm for anyone to attend for free. All the usual dishes are served in the decorated Community Café, plus attendees can take more food home to eat for dinner. Twin City Mission wants everyone to be able to participate in traditions we typically take for granted, like having leftovers and people to spend the holiday with.
“We have families who have made volunteering that day their tradition,” says Crozier. “People call as early as August to get on our volunteering list. I tell them, come the next day, on Friday, when there’s no cameras or pomp and circumstance. That’s what those clients remember: those who serve when no one else is around.”
Their Christmas celebration is more private; the Twin City Mission staff throws a party a couple of days before Christmas for those staying at the shelter. The celebration consists of food, Christmas carols, and gifts provided by generous members of the community. Santa even makes an appearance Christmas morning.
“We’ve never had any clients not receive Christmas gifts,” says Crozier. “They get something they need and something they want. They don’t ask for anything outrageous. … They just want to be thought of.”
On Dec. 21, the winter solstice and longest night of the year, Twin City Mission participates in the nationwide Candlelight Vigil, a memorial for those who were homeless or formerly homeless and passed away in the last year. The longest night of the year represents the longest time individuals who are homeless have to be exposed to the elements. Along with songs and prayer, a list of the individuals who the community has lost is read aloud, and their friends and family are invited to attend.
“What’s really cool is that people who are staying in the shelter will come out and be on the peripheral,” says Crozier. “They don’t really want to be involved because, God forbid, that could be them one day. But they’re out there in support of those we’ve lost.”
For more information on Twin City Mission and how you can get involved this holiday season, visit www.twincitymission.org.
