As I was driving home from Reston Town Center on Saturday evening, I noticed an older man walking with a limp and a bandaged arm. After I drove past him, I realized I still had the $250 in my wallet (the original two $100 dollar bills and a $50). I turned the car around and looked for a place to double park, so I could catch up with him. It was fairly obvious he was homeless, and he was not far from the shelter in Reston. (Because the shelter is not very large, most can only go there for meals, not stay overnight). I saw another man on a bicycle nearby, and I walked over and asked him to just keep on eye on me, as I planned to approach the homeless man to give him some RAK money, explaining about the ARG gift. He told me that he knew the man’s name (Steve) and that he frequently chats with him.
So I walked up to Steve, introduced myself, and why, and when I handed him the $50 dollar bill. He said he had not gotten a “Grant” before. I encouraged him to buy some groceries since Harris Teeter was nearby or something along those lines. Interestingly, he did not seem all that surprised but did appear happy with the gift.
It is so incongruous to see homeless people walking around Reston, which on the first appearance is such a privileged area…
– Sheila Anders
