The City of Santa Cruz organized a Thanksgiving Homeless project today in Downtown Santa Cruz at the Civic Center Auditorium. This event was formerly restricted to the homeless shelter. This year, it was opened up to the entire town’s homeless population. Santa Cruz County has approximately 3500 homeless, as per the last survey a few months ago. This is a large number relative to the counties population of 250k. Out of the approximately 1000 people who showed up today for a Thanksgiving meal, many were able to pick up winter rain coats, socks, shoes and boots. We encountered patients with diabetes, gout, ingrown nails, arthritis and a general lack of foot care.
We would like to thank the organizers, the national sponsors and the surgical implant companies that helped to make this possible. Let them know how much impact their donations made to the hundreds of patients that we evaluated today. The local reporter was impressed by the impact that these donations made when compared with the meals and the coats that were also available.
Thank you both so much for letting us be part of this wonderful event, we helped about 250 people today! The Red Wing, John Deere and other boots were spectacular and much needed. Most of the patients clamored for the boots because of the coming rains which last from November through February.