Name: Cecilia Tejada

Social Justice Group: 2023-2024, Homelessness in NYC

Date of Fieldwork: January 20, 2024

Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):Manhattan Church of Christ, Carl Garrison – Minister of Homeless Outreach

Type of Fieldwork: [69]

What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork?:

Almost every Saturday, Carl Garrison runs meal distribution and a clothing pantry. In a cafeteria like space, he serves full meals (they served salmon, salad, and rice while we were there), drinks like hot chocolate, coffee, and tea, and also dessert like cinnamon buns, cheesecake, and chocolate cake. Carl has partnered with an organization through the government that provides Carl with everyday basic clothing in many different sizes.

We worked downstairs in the clothing pantry. We helped the people that came through find the most practicle things and their sizes. We looked for shoe sizes and through piles of clothes to find the perfect fit. People would come through and would be looking for specific things and it was our job to find them. Carl and his crew had a shortage of coats though. Emma our honorary group-mate for the day folded all of the kids clothes. There were about 250 clothes she folded in total.