Wanted: One Ice Cream

As some of you know, we distribute food vouchers here to, among others, homeless people. However, the kitchen where they can use these vouchers will be closed for the coming period. So what do we do to still make contact with, among others, this target group?

We eat ice cream with them.

That gives us a wonderful opportunity to eat an ice cream with them… and above all: to talk. (that is the goal)

Because an ice cream is not just “eat it and move on”. No, you sit down together and take some time. How are you doing? What are you struggling with? How did you get to this point? And perhaps most importantly: what could you do to get out of this situation? And could we perhaps help you with that?

Such a simple ice cream can be the beginning of a conversation in which we can really make a difference.

But there is also a practical problem. In one day, we buy about 30 ice creams. On average, they cost $2.56 each. That means we spend about $76.65 on ice cream per day.

And with those 30 ice creams, we have on average at least three conversations that really go deeper and in which we can work together to look for a solution to their difficulties. That means that one serious conversation costs us about 10 ice creams: $25.55.

So… will you buy an ice cream with us?

For $2.56, you are not only giving someone some relief from the heat on a hot day. You are also giving us the opportunity to sit down beside someone, listen, and perhaps take a first step together toward a solution.

An ice cream may seem like a small thing. But sometimes a big conversation begins with something very simple.

So… how many ice creams have you had this summer?