We had a strong turnout at our February meeting, where we discussed the Sunnyside Shower Project’s (SSP) protocols on how to deal with guests who exhibit harmful or dangerous behaviors. Special guest Sandra Comstock, from Hygiene4All, shared some ideas on how they deal with harm to their community. The SSP has a “Code of Conduct” that we hang in our space at the Groves but we have not yet written down a policy for “incident protocols.” We hope to do that in the coming weeks. One helpful tidbit
that Comstock shared is to come at the incident with curiosity. If a person who is houseless is acting out, there is usually something going on for them and finding out what that is and (if possible) helping them solve that issue is a good place to start.
We also discussed the possibility of the SSP becoming its own nonprofit, separate from the SNA. There are pros and cons to this—one pro being that we would be eligible for a wider variety of grants and funding. On the other hand, many of us like the fact that we’re showing that Neighborhood Associations can be a force for good in their communities. We don’t want to lose the grassroots nature of the SSP, which is one of the qualities that makes it so special. Matt Lembo offered to help with this process, if the SSP decides to become its own nonprofit.
Finally, we are hoping to off-load the furniture that’s in our storage unit on 82nd St. If anyone needs bookshelves, lamps, or other household items, let us know. We are willing to give these items away in exchange for a donation to the SSP! Contact Emily at [email protected] if you’re interested.
As always, if you’re interested in supporting the SSP, either financially or by joining our growing volunteer pool, please email [email protected] to learn more.