AUBURN — On Wednesday, RJ sat quietly at the Pleasant Street Drop-in Center, his paper plate piled high with scrambled eggs, bacon and home fries. He ate slowly, savoring the center’s annual Christmas breakfast for the unhoused population, which almost didn’t happen.
For RJ, who says he has spent most of his life on the streets, a warm meal is a reprieve from his daily struggle to stay warm and fed.
“I get something good going, and then all of a sudden, it just collapses,” he said.
RJ said he lives with depression, bipolar disorder and a sleep disorder. He’s had good jobs and lived in apartments, but circumstances and bad luck repeatedly leave him back on the streets. After losing his tent recently during a cleanup effort by Auburn police, he was left with nothing but a sleeping bag. He’s been relying on the warming shelter on Lincoln Street.
“It’s rough, especially during the daytime,” RJ said. “They don’t open until 8 at night, and we have to be out of there by 8 in the morning.”
Without an indoor daytime place to go, RJ spends his days moving between heated public spaces. He generally walks to the Auburn Mall to linger until 5 p.m., before moving over to Walmart until 6 or 6:30 p.m.
Finally, he begins the long, cold walk back to the shelter.
“I do a lot of walking,” he said.
Wednesday’s Christmas breakfast was a break in that routine — but it almost didn’t happen.
The Pleasant Street Drop-in Center, which operates out of the First Universalist Church of Auburn: Unitarian Universalist, had decided to forgo hosting its annual Christmas Breakfast because it was unable to rally resources and volunteers.
That’s when Sonia Bermonty of Operation You Matter stepped in. Eric Hafford, also known as “Draggin Chaser,” from the Riding Soldiers Association, had previously reached out to Bermonty to explore the possibility of organizing a Christmas breakfast for the unhoused population. Bermonty suggested Pleasant Street Drop-in Center as an ideal venue, as it is typically open on Wednesdays. Upon contacting the center, she learned they had recently decided not to host the breakfast due to resource constraints. The association quickly mobilized, offering to join volunteers with the center’s, to cook and serve food. With their help, the breakfast was back on.
RJ wasn’t alone in his gratitude for their efforts.
A local, beloved homeless man, Lorenzo Melendez, who passed away two weeks ago, left behind a son, Josh Kingsbury, who only learned about his father during a vigil commemorating his life. Kingsbury brought his father’s ashes to the breakfast, with the community that had meant so much to Melendez. As he listened to stories about the father he never knew, he saw the impact Melendez had on the lives of so many.
For a few hours, the warmth wasn’t just a break from the weather. It was a reminder that acts of kindness can still make a difference in people’s lives.
“It’s been a rough year,” RJ admitted. His battle with mental health, combined with the constant strain of homelessness, has been an ongoing burden. Nights at the warming shelter offer relief, but the days are long and lonely.
Still, RJ keeps moving, fueled by the hope that things may improve.
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