When you take a look inside a donation bin at a homeless shelter, you’re likely to find canned foods, shoes, coats, toothpaste, and sometimes children’s toys.
But there are a couple of items you probably won’t come across – bras and underwear.
A lot of folks really don’t think about those two items that are needed when they donate.
“We take a clean pair of socks, clean t-shirt, some soap, shampoo, deodorant, wet wipes, anything that we use on a regular basis, that we don’t think about that our homeless friends don’t have,” said Allsup.
Sherrie and her husband Gary Allsup, who moved to South Texas from Kansas City seven years ago, have made it their personal mission to help the local homeless community.
“We rode one night with First Baptist who goes to City Hall every Thursday night **after 7** and hand out a sack lunch to the homeless population. So we rode with them one night and that one night has turned into seven years. So we go every Thursday night, and we take things we often take for granted, those of us that have a home,” said Homeless volunteer Sherri Allsup.
Sometimes it is the little things that go a long way.
“We interact with them, we do life with them, and we try to offer them hope and a hug and just to know there is a friendly face that is thinking of them,” said Allsup.
Allsup says there is a huge need for bras and feminine hygiene products for girls and women in need right here in our own backyard.
“I was speaking with a woman that was homeless, and she shared a little bit of her story with me and as I went to leave, she hugged me, and as I hugged her back, I realized she didn’t have a bra on and that was kind of a light bulb moment for me. So I went back next week with one bra and that was about 5,000 bras ago,” said Allsup.
Now collecting items for the homeless has almost become a full-time job for her.
“Now everything we use and take down with us is gently used; if it needs to be washed, I wash it. We get donations from friends here in town, we have an Amazon wish list, we get donations from friends in Georgia. Kansas City is home for us, and friends donate in Kansas City. God just provides every single week. There are some weeks, I think, I don’t know how I am going to do it this week, but we always have what we need, ” said Allsup.
In less than seven years, Allsup has already gathered and given away more than she ever expected, and she says it’s all to raise awareness about the needs of the homeless that people tend to forget.
She accepts donations through the mail and has also set up several drop-off locations throughout the city. Public drop off locations are at Landshark Fitness, and Journey Church in Calallen.
To contact Sherri Allsup: 816-809-6867