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Fall partnership with ✨
GenGen is thrilled to support Meals in the Margins as they erase the stigmas around homelessness and provide resources and support for those without homes.
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WHO IS MEALS IN THE MARGINS?
Where Service Leads to Relationship
Meals in the Margins is an entirely student-led and student-funded operation aimed at houselessness relief in Spokane, Washington. MITM provides 30 to 40 homemade meals and care packages a week to people experiencing homelessness. Beyond providing for basic physical needs, the MITM team has also made it their mission to build meaningful relationships with the people they serve.
The mission of Meals in the Margins is to strengthen intentional relationships with the homeless community and to restore the dignity of those society sees as less fortunate. These relationships are ways to connect with homeless people as humans, rather than as statistics or "projects."
At GenGen, we deeply resonate with the intentionality behind MITM’s service. Connecting with those affected by the causes and adopting a listening-first approach helps us to build an empathy that fuels the heart behind our work.
They are not “homeless,” they are humans experiencing “homelessness.”
When passing by or serving those who experience homelessness, it is easy to consider them as charity cases to boost our own self-image or treat them as “projects.” They’re not. They are humans who experience emotions and circumstances like any other.
If we take the time to understand and build intentional relationships with those who experience homelessness and see them as our valued neighbors, we can help restore their lost, but rightful, dignity caused by the ways people inflict dehumanization. No person’s intrinsic human value fluctuates with changing circumstance.
We must work together to lift one another up in love and with a cheerfully-giving heart in order to impact our communities in meaningful ways.
The Hands Behind the Meals
Meet Kayla!
This is Kayla Kim, co-founder of MITM and recent Gonzaga University grad! In the winter of Kayla's senior year, her sociology professor mentioned that many shelters in Spokane would not be open for a few more days - leaving many homeless people stranded in the cold. Kayla knew she wanted to help.
Kayla gathered some friends and started small, bringing care packages and meals to the homeless community around them, and sticking around to chat with them. "Then," Kayla told us, "it grew into something much bigger than ourselves."
Though MITM has grown exponentially, Kayla was quick to recognize that as this happens, "the relational core. . . must always remain."
Kayla reached out to us after seeing how GenGen aligned with MITM's principles. Just as we at GenGen emphasize empathy and relationship-building, MITM aims to sit WITH people and make meaningful connections within the homeless community.
Meet Peyton!
Peyton Blancois a Gonzaga University sophomore working with MITM. When we got to chat with the team, we heard Peyton's honest story of how working with MITM expanded his perspective on humanitarian work.
"(Meals In The Margins) gave me the opportunity to leave the bubble of campus... and actually experience was life was like outside of where I was living."
Peyton found that working with MITM really helped him to humanize the homeless community. MITM gave him "a vast perspective on what life could be like for others" and challenged "what [he] considered to be comfortable."
We learned that humanitarian work and being generous with our time and effort isn't just a feel good action, but can involve us into the lives of others!
Meet Michael!
Meet Michael Larson! In his senior year at Gonzaga University, Michael worked with MITM to build a more organized volunteer network and system. He was also a part of a student-led group called Humanizing Spokane, which advocates for policies to provide safe and stable housing for those experiencing homelessness. After graduating in May, Michael is now working with his church to establish a Meals in the Margins edition in Bellingham!
Both experiences with MITM and Humanizing Spokane continue to influence how Michael loves the communities around him today. The most important lesson Michael learned through MITM is that "service is merely a bridge to relationship.” Michael shared with us that even our presence is a gift in itself — just checking in with someone will go a long way in making meaningful connections.
What a cool reminder that we have so much to offer through our physical and relational presence.
The stickers are here!
We paired 2 talented artists and asked them to create stickers for fundraising!
Hover/tap the card to see the creative behind each sticker!
MEET ELAINE (@tea.faire)
What inspired your sticker design?
I've always associated scarves with 'shareable warmth' due to their inherent length and capacity to be worn by multiple persons at a time, thereby creating a physical and metaphorical linkage between individuals. The scarf here doubles as a place of gathering for the characters to sit together and enjoy bowls of hearty soup. Soup, to me, is one of the most universal and simplest homemade meals you can make in the kitchen that is both hot and filling. Once in a pot, ingredients often lose their characteristic form and give rise to a harmonious (and delectable) entity, mirroring the way in which new relationships and communities can form from people of all walks of life.
How had working on this collaboration changed/affected the way you think about homelessness?
Introspectively, I was reminded of a conversation I had on the connotation distinctions between a 'house' and a 'home' and how I now feel the the semantics of 'homeless' undermine the experiences of the people grouped under the term. 'Houseless' or 'experiencing houselessness' are alternatives are more appropriate. I was also reminded of articles I read of populous U.S. cities implementing public architectural changes that many felt targeted houseless populations. Neglecting an already highly stigmatized group of people is not the solution.
MEET JESS (@eggtabel)
What does generosity mean to you?
I think we often underestimate our capabilities when it comes to giving or being generous. We hear excuses such as "I don't have enough money" or "I can't be generous to others when currently I am living in need", but I think true generosity stems from inside. We can be lacking in some aspects but each and everyone of us possesses more than enough to be generous, we could share our time, skills, stories, or even a simple smile.
What inspired your sticker design?
I am going for a very warm and homey vibes, the sticker is inspired by my lunch boxes that my aunt used to prepare for me while I was still in school. Every morning she would wake up before the day breaks to pack my lunch. The thoughtfulness and dedication is what I wanted to project through my art. I incorporated a warmer and vibrant color to give off that homey and happy vibes.