Needy kids and homeless helped by CHAM

By Maggie Beidelman

Cristina Sanidad spends her time cooking and entertaining complete strangers.

But to Sanidad, those strangers --all of whom are homeless in San Jose -- are adopted families.

Each week, Sanidad and a handful of volunteers from the Santa Clara Community Action Program make meals, play games with children -- and anything to offer a helping hand.

SCCAP's Community Homeless Alliance Ministry, which Sanidad heads, is the biggest source of outside help that aids the First Christian Church's homeless shelter in downtown San Jose.

"The kids are so attention-starved," Sanidad said. "It's a relief to have more volunteers so that the kids can have more one-on-one time with the students."

Every Monday, CHAM leaders and sophomores Cristina Sanidad and James Hanold cook dinner for several families in the shelter. On Wednesday, volunteers pick up about 20 kids from the shelter and bring them back to Sobrato Commons for an evening of fun and games.

It is easy to forget, but, as Sanidad noted, "we do live in a state of emergency" with regard to the condition of homelessness in San Jose and in the United States.

Because of the homeless problem, CHAM's organizers encourage students to give volunteering a shot, and make the night of someone who would love to be in a Santa Clara student's position if given the chance to trade places.

The shelter is located in the hall of the First Christian Church, 80 S. Fifth St., and appears to be dwarfed by the multi-million-dollar, newly renovated City Hall, just right next door.

The sense of community among the volunteers and residents seems to make the shelter an intrinsically beautiful sanctuary.

San Jose's CHAM focuses on compassion-based interaction rather than charity with the poor and poorly-represented. Its doors have been open at the First Christian Church since November 1997, specifically catering to homeless families with children.

"These are the people that make up our community," said Sanidad, referring to the people she works with through the program.

CHAM also provides spiritual counseling, English as a second language classes and health referral programs, according to program organizers.

Sanidad stressed the importance of applying both a "band-aid" approach and more long-term involvement in aiding the homeless.

According to advocates, homelessness is a chronic problem in our country and the world, and is not something easily remedied.

But, they say, that doesn't mean it can't be helped.

Contact Maggie Beidelman at (408) 551-1918 or mbeidelman@scu.edu.