The annual Christmas Caravan and Outreach serving Little Rock’s homeless and near-homeless population brought clothes, food and Christmas cheer to about 450 people Dec. 22. The event was held on one of the parking lots at the Clinton Presidential Center.
Four area Catholic churches were among the many religious and civic organizations participating in this year’s event. St. Jude Church in Jacksonville, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marche) and Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock helped recruit about 50 volunteers for the event; Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock contributed roughly 100 Christmas presents for distribution to children.
Those presents were hand-delivered by Santa himself, ably played again this year by Tom Navin, Social Action Office director for Catholic Charities of Arkansas. Navin has played Santa since the event was launched in 2005.
“I love it,” Navin said of his annual portrayal. “My role is to give a gift to kids, but it’s turned into a spiritual experience for me.”
Santa arrived on the back of a Harley Davidson as a group of bikers led the caravan from the staging area at nearby Heifer International to the Clinton Presidential Center. In tow were vehicles of every description, each bearing various items to be handed out to the adults, ranging from gently used coats and shoes to clothing and miscellaneous items. While adults went from vehicle to vehicle, nearby a line of children waited to have a moment with Navin and receive their gift.
“Every year I hear something I’m not expecting,” Navin said. “I have so much to pray for that evening, first, a petition for the poor and then in thanksgiving for my life and that of my five kids, my 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.”
While the number of parishes that have participated in any given year of the caravan has varied, the support of local Catholic churches has been essential for the growth of the ministry, said founder Sandra Wilson.
“Catholic groups have been there from the very beginning,” she said. “We have always had a Catholic connection and participation. They are just some of the best people there are.”
Wilson, who is not Catholic, has been active among the homeless since 1992. The first caravan brought its collected cache of items to places in town where the homeless were, but as the event has grown to include participation by more than 100 churches, agencies and groups, a large centralized location was needed.
Efforts are made to publicize the event around town through various means, the most effective of which is word of mouth, Wilson said.
Navin, a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Parish, said such glimpses into homelessness is instructive for volunteers. And that, he said, is another of the important functions of the caravan.
“As Catholics, one of our principle social functions is to perform preferential acts for the poor,” he said. “We are also commanded by the Beatitudes to provide food to the hungry and drink for the thirsty. This ministry provides an opportunity for me and for others to reach out to that population.
“There are a lot of people in a lot of parishes who want to reach out to the poor, but they don’t know how or they are uncomfortable being right in their midst. This gives them that opportunity in a safe environment.”
Navin also said while he understands the skepticism that some may have of some of the people with their hands out at such events, to look into the number of faces he has convinces him the effort is worthwhile. He also pointed out that you can’t always tell what someone is facing simply by how they look.
“There are always going to be some people who abuse the system,” he said. “That shouldn’t stop you from trying to help out all of the wonderful, sincere people you can.”
