The Eclipse Project: Helping Harrisburg's Homeless

01/02/2026

One of my team made the news today, taking the plunge for critters in need. Way to go, Ed!

For nearly 30 years, participants have been diving into the icy Susquehanna River to support the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area. This year, over 200 peopl...

12/30/2025

I was a bad picture taker this week but my team managed a few. This past Sunday, we served:
Bacon ranch chicken
Ham and bean soup
Mashed potatoes
Shrimp pomodoro
Cheesy potatoes with cornflake topping
Penne and meatballs
Potatoes au gratin
Cornbread casserole
Scalloped potatoes with ham
Sweet and spicy meatballs
Lasagna
Greek spaghetti
Sweet potatoes with dates, molasses, and pecans
Rice and beans
Applesauce
Jesse's favorite cole slaw
Snacks and drinks
Sandwiches and pastries

Thank you Bethany Church of the Nazarene, Panera, Country Gourmet at the Market, and those who picked up food donations, donated prepared dishes or snacks or other things.

Special thanks to my volunteers Eric, Alexa, Donna, Ashley, Ed, another Ashley, Chelsea, Charles, Jen, Thomas, Trish, Mike, Bob, Lori...who am I forgetting?? and to Donna, Trish, Rachel and Safa for bringing prepared goodies. Trish and Mike took all of the clothing donations home to sort them!! Lori took her label maker to the donation room. I love this little family. ❤️

Needs: coffee cups with lids, medium in size. Not tiny, not huge.

Kraut
Hot dogs, beef or pork
Grant Smith apples
(Our pork and kraut / black eyed peas new years meal is next Sunday.)

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12/28/2025

Anyone interested in volunteering today, I am very low on hands and hearts.

We meet at the church in the profile picture from 11-2 to prep food. We need sandwich makers and coffee preppers and folks to help pack up the food and load the van.

We leave at 2 to serve at two locations from 2:30-5ish.

We return to the church to unload and clean up.

12/27/2025

Our Jerry is skiing this weekend. Danielle is visiting family out of state. Alexa is on call with work. Some volunteers are only able to come for prep in the morning. I have two for sure to help serve. We need bodies to help serve and clean up. Serving is 2:30-5 and then right after we go back to the church to unload and wash everything. Is there anyone who hasn't checked in yet who wishes to volunteer tomorrow?

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas to all!!

12/24/2025

Chef Tom invited me for brunch with our friends today.

"You can taste the love in this food." S.

I got to hold a puppy for an hour, hang out with our friends, and get a plate myself. I am a member of the clean plate club. Ham, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, peaches... Now I'm ready for a nap! And I only asked for a little bit of everything. Their plates were stuffed full.

Thank you, Chef Tom!

12/22/2025

Weeeeeee have a logo. And hoodies. And a travel cup. Well, I have a travel cup. Eric designed them and a few of my team got together and surprised us with them last Tuesday. I didn't often get misty but I turned into a puddle. I have the best people around me...

12/22/2025

12/22/2025

If anyone lost a PSECU debit card yesterday while we were serving, it was turned in to me. If you can give me the name on the card and show me photo ID, I will return it to you. If I don't find the owner within the week, I will turn it in to PSECU.

12/22/2025

Yesterday was amazing.

We set up four 6-ft long tables for the food.

We set up three 8-ft long tables for all the gifts.

We had a small table set up for the raffle prizes.

We served our differently sheltered friends
Turkey
Ham
Two kinds of chicken
Herbed pork with apples
Mashed potatoes
Twice baked potatoes
Carrots
Green bean casserole
Stuffing with cranberries
Tender steak bites with rice
Spicy chicken ramen with sugar, snap peas, broccoli, and baby corn
Stuffed pepper soup
Shrimp pomodoro with pasta
Broccoli with cheese sauce
Chinese dumplings with bok choy and a green curry coconut milk sauce
Bacon mac and cheese
Macaroni salad
Pasta salad
Coleslaw
Sandwiches and snacks
Drinks (coffee, soda, water, apple cider, and eggnog) and desserts

(I ate a plain bacon sandwich for breakfast at 1 p.m. and a Mcdouble and an Oreo McFlurry at 8 p.m. that Danielle brought for me...wouldn't have it any other way. On Sunday, our friends eat much better than I do! My team/friends make sure I eat!)

Everyone got several gifts and/or gift bags. Santa helped serve.

We had a free raffle. First prize was a donated generator. Second prize was a donated propane heater with propane, extension hose, CO2 monitor, and fire extinguisher.

The sister of the gentleman who won the generator was there visiting and she said he was so excited to win it. The couple who won the heater and accessories were actually transported to our event from the tent community by one of my volunteers and wouldn't have been able to attend due to health limitations had Bob not offered to drive them. Video of the raffle drawing to follow.

We were excited to be joined by Hands and Feet Ministry and Dayspring Ministry!

Santa came all the way from the North Pole to mingle with our friends and pose for photos and we were blessed to have him and his wife and another elf.

You can't understand what a blessing it is to be able to witness this unless you're there is person for the hugs and the gratitude and the love our friends return to us. We had Christmas music playing and a generous donor, who has participated quietly for the past five Christmases, gave us 80 Christmas cards with a nice $ gift in each one. To show you how much respect our friends have for us, eight of them went through the line for more food, which we not only allow but encourage, and I asked if I had already given them a card. Every single one of them said yes.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who makes this possible and allows us the opportunity to reap the benefits of the warmth and love our friends show us...

Bethany Church of the Nazarene, Country Gourmet at the Market, Panera, everyone who picks up and delivers donations, everyone who took the time to purchase and wrap gifts and fill stockings and bags and make cookies and prepare food.

My team this weekend: Donna, Trish, Mike, Jerry, Sue, Bob, Thomas, Danielle, Chelsea, Ashley, Lori, Santa, Amy, Mandy, and Crystal. You are beasts. Seemingly-tireless, hard-working, huge hearts.

We filled 76 bellies and hearts yesterday.

Today, the exhaustion sets in but is far less important than the fullness of my heart at the generosity and love I get to witness. I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. ❤️

12/22/2025

12/20/2025

I can't name names yet, but I'm super excited that I am going to be joined by folks from several other outreaches tomorrow when we serve our Christmas meal and distribute presents. I've also been invited to a Christmas brunch being held for our differently sheltered friends by someone else and I plan to attend and help there. As we get older, sometimes the old Christmas traditions start to fade as we lose family members and loved ones are separated by geography. Doing what we do is very hard work, don't get me wrong, but the rewards are immeasurable. The blessings keep flowing, not just from us but to us as well.
The holidays are a hard time for many. This is the first Christmas without someone I called Mama for the past 25 years. Some of my volunteers are going through the grieving process, mourning those they've lost and preparing for loss in the near future. Giving to others is my way of healing from that. I know the reason for the season. I hope you are all blessed this year.