New Orleans, La. – The sun came out in New Orleans Sunday to hide behind heavy clouds that dropped a gentle rain on all the workers waiting outside the New Orleans Mission for #TailgateTogether. The humidity made the air oppressive and heavy; Everyone was thirsty. And there wasn’t enough water to go around.
That’s the main challenge facing Allen Keller and Kathryn Seals, two of the Saints fans behind the #TailgateTogether charity movement that serves the homeless population in New Orleans. The demand is enormous, and the resources to meet those demands are few.
That doesn’t stop Keller or the Seals, who provide food, supplies and fellowship to the homeless every two weeks. Keller’s Sunday starts at 8pm when he leaves his house and heads to Firehouse Subs to pick up box lunches donated for #TailgateTogether. At 9:15 a.m., he is on a mission ready to serve. At 9:32 AM this Sunday, the table was empty. The boxed lunches were all claimed, the water and other drinks were all provided, the bags, toiletries and utensils were all distributed.
There’s never enough to go around.
A man I spoke to on Sunday (whose name has been withheld to protect his privacy and dignity) told me he works full-time in the French Quarter and has a stable apartment lined up for January…but it’s only October. He told me about two homeless communities at the end of Poydras Street, far off the beaten path because they receive no formal assistance. Sometimes he sleeps in one of those places because he worries about the women and children who are homeless, vulnerable and alone in those areas. Sometimes he has enough money on hand for a hotel room for a night or two, but he gives those women to eat and feed their children.
“They’re starving. It’s too big around them,” he said, pointing to her pinky finger.
The New Orleans Homeless Services and Strategy recently saw its budget cut from $3.6 million a year to $700,000 by 2025. And since Louisianans expect a larger metro area to have more resources, New Orleans will be a home base for people from around the state who are struggling with housing shortages.
The number of homeless people in Orleans and Jefferson County is estimated at more than 1,500 people. Many are in temporary housing and receiving some level of assistance, but far too many slip under the radar and are unable to receive any assistance, leaving aside even the limited resources available.
There are a handful of food distribution programs in the city, but their availability is very limited. The Reconstruction Center and Ozanam Inn offer snacks from 9 am to 9:30 am and 1 pm to 1:30 pm Monday through Friday. Hope NOLA delivers food Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Grace at Greenlight serves breakfast seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. People must be able to get to one of the locations during those limited hours.
These organizations are doing the best they can with the money they have. But it is not enough. Again, the need is great; Resources are very few.
That’s what #Tailgate comes with. Keller, the Seals and some other Saints fans shared the leftovers with the unoccupied crowd near the Superdome. But sharing the leftovers never felt right to Keller.
“We have a ton of leftovers, so we give that to the homeless,” Keller told the Canal Street Chronicles a few years ago. “But the idea of giving our leftovers to the homeless didn’t feel right to me. So we started cooking separate hot meals for the homeless.”
What started out as a random act of kindness at the time has become a well-oiled, year-round machine. Homeless people self-manage the distribution process to #Tailgate together to maintain some agency — essential to survival in a community that relies on the kindness of others. Sunday is broadcast day when the Saints play; Keller and the Seals want this community to have something consistent and stable that they can count on every week.
#TailgateTogether depends on donations – In addition to the deep appreciation from Firehouse Subs, they have a continued need for both monetary donations and items from Amazon’s wishlist to make this happen every week. Things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, bath wipes, blankets, socks and bags are much needed and go quickly with the food and water. The more donations you receive, the more needs you can meet. Everything donated goes to serve the homeless community.
There are about 750,000 homeless people across the United States, and that number is unlikely to decrease anytime soon as the cost of living continues to rise, inflation and housing prices fall. SNAP and Medicaid benefits are being cut, and 57% and 59% of American adults are one financial emergency away from homelessness. It really is a “but for the grace of God” situation.
And this demand is now everywhere in the United States. In my city, Atlanta, there are over 3,000 people without permanent housing. In New York City, technically the home of the Jets and Giants, the number of homeless people is estimated at more than 4,500, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without shelter in temporary housing situations, one bad day or an unexpected expense. In a small Midwestern NFL market like Indianapolis, there are about 2,700 people who are not fully sheltered or remain in temporary housing.
I hope you will join me in supporting the work of #TailgateTogether in New Orleans. Every donation helps. But I hope we all take a long, hard look at our own communities and think about what we can do to help the homeless in our own cities.
Because the demand is great everywhere, and the resources are always few. People are relying on the kindness of others to meet their most basic needs, and it’s up to all of us to take advantage of that opportunity and care for humanity.
It’s bigger than football.
