Burners Without Borders, the non profit social justice faction of the Burning Man community, is a huge part of what makes being a burner a GREAT thing in our world. Most of you are familiar with the ten principles that are guidelines to participating in this culture with compassion. This time of year, gifting, radical inclusion, immediacy and communal effort are all a big part of taking care of our community, while we also have some fun!
Being homeless in the winter could be compared to camping at Black Rock in the cold, except often those who are homeless don’t know where to get food or warmth because they don’t have a neighbor with a big pot of chili and a fire to share. Their coat and socks may be wet and there’s no way to get them dry. There are many little items things this that we can donate and give directly to the homeless, like camping gear, clean and dry socksc meals, coats, hats and gloves, to help ease the difficulties of winter in the Midwest.
Guess what? The Midwest regional burn INTERFUSE is having a kick-off party in Kansas City in January and the event is called IGNITION! At the event happening on January 20th, at Prohibition Hall in Kansas City we are collecting these items listed below to help those in need. Save the date and start planning what you can give.
Here is a complete list of what we are collecting:
Fall & winter clothing – coats, jackets, pants, long sleeve shirts, flannel, coveralls, shoes/boots, socks, undies (these need to be new), gloves, scarves, hats, handwarmers, tarps, blankets, sleeping bags and bed rolls.
Toiletries – toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, soap, deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, chapstick, tp, lady items – travel sizes work well.
Food items – anything individual serving – oatmeal packets, hot chocolate packets, granola bars, peanut butter, fruit cups, cup of soup, etc.
Another idea: You can keep these types of items in your car along with bottled water and give them out to people that they meet as well who might be in need. Being a burner isn’t just about GOING to a burn, but it’s about taking our beloved principles and kindness out into the world and spreading that love to those around us.
One point of sensitivity is to always be very gentle and when offering these items. Never assume that anybody needs anything, but rather, just suggest that you are there handing out items to anyone around, and let the recipient pick what they want to take, with dignity.
Thank you for accepting this mission, and BWB looks forward to seeing you at the Ignition event in January. Make sure you join the Interfuse facebook page to stay up to date and participate in our Midwest Burners BWB group: Burners without Borders heartland working group.
If all of this burner jargon isn’t making much sense, check out the Burning Man website and see where you can get involved!
For more information on the Ignition collection drive, please contact Amber Andkazi at Pogothepit1@yahoo.com.
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