The Interfaith Homelessness Network/April Showers project lost long time Volunteer, Gene Bass on April 30, 2013.   Gene fought a tough battle with lymphoma and continued his work with April Showers until two weeks before he passed away. 

Gene spent many years involved with IHN April Showers.  He served on the I H N Steering committee as Treasurer.   He set  up our Laundry Voucher program and designed presentations and folders using pictures about the April Showers program to help attract both donors and volunteers. 

Gene invited April Showers to use San Leandro Community Church for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner for homeless and others who come for bag lunches during the week. Our April Showers Birthday Parties were held in the courtyard of his church complete with food, a live band and dancing on the lawn.

His last big April Showers project was to create the Interfaith Homelessness Network website so that we could reach more people who might want to join our All Volunteer organization by becoming April Showers volunteers, donating money, new supplies or gently used clothes.  Although Gene is gone now, we will continue to use this website to reach those who might need help or wish to give help.

Gene was a kind man whose goal in life was to leave whatever he touched better than he found it.  He touched many people and things in the April Showers program and he had the ability to just show up with something which was needed – it might be a ham he found at the grocery which was on sale or a couple of packages of socks which were found at Target.  No one ever knew exactly what Gene was going to give but it was always useful and given with love and  kindness.

We will miss Gene tremendously and hope that the gifts he has given April Showers will be remembered as we remember him.

In Memory of Gene Bass