Message from a Board Member
I recently had the opportunity to interview two clients at the interim shelter. These two men became homeless through completely different circumstances but the result was the same. They needed a place to live while they got their lives back on track. Thankfully, the interim shelter was there for both men and they now have jobs and are on their way to realizing their dream of having a place of their own again.
What really impressed me was how both men talked about the staff and how grateful they are for them. You see, our shelter doesn’t just provide them with a safe bed off the streets, even though that is important. They also counsel them, provide a listening ear and even a “swift kick in the pants” when necessary.
I have never been homeless. I have never used drugs or alcohol. And while I have compassion for the homeless and want to help, I really don’t know just how hard their situation is or why they can’t just stop their addiction. But our counselors do.
Several staff members have been homeless. They know the emotional toll being homeless
takes on a person. Some have been addicted to drugs and know the pull drugs have on your body. Others have been alcoholics and know how easy it is for one drink to turn into several. But I don’t know any of that. That day I realized how important it is to have counselors and staff who have battled the same demons our clients are battling instead of just people like me who want to help. That day I was very proud of our staff and the amazing work they are doing on a daily basis to help our clients get their lives back on track.
Sandy
Vice-President/Secretary
Dwayne's Story
Dwayne and his wife became homeless after losing their apartment. Both of them suffered health issues at the same time that prevented them from working. They have since separated due to personal reasons.
Dwayne has been in and out of the hospital over the past several months, bouncing between the shelter and the hospital. Then he stayed with a friend before coming back to the shelter. When I asked, “What has the shelter done for you?” his response was, “What haven’t they done?” He said, “No staff is perfect but this staff is the closest I’ve seen, perfection wise. They have their little quirks but if you pay attention to what they are really doing, they are so compassionate, they just have a heart for the job.”
Thanks to people donating clothes to the shelter, Dwayne was able to find the clothes he needed for work. When several of the clients were taken to a job fair, Dwayne was able to secure a job at Provident Place, a group home for males with developmental disabilities.
Dwayne has since taken a second job as a security guard and is able to carpool with a fellow shelter client. In his “spare” time, he is taking online classes through Victor Valley College to become a psychologist.
He is grateful to have a place to live while he works and goes to school. He’s looking forward to the day his family is reunited and living together in their new apartment.
Jim's Story
Jim came to the shelter in December out of desperation. In his words, “I screwed my life up. I lost my wife and my health and my life just spiraled downhill.” Formerly addicted to drugs and alcohol, he burnt out all the resources he had before coming to the shelter.
When he first found out many of the staff members were former addicts in some way, he thought, ‘Wow, addicts teaching addicts, that’s a great idea. The blind leading the blind." He continued, "But, it really is. You can’t relate to what an addict goes through unless you’re an addict.”
His second week at the shelter he was caught bringing in a quarter ounce of dope and was kicked out for a week. When he returned, he was expecting a lecture but instead he was welcomed back with non-judgemental acceptance, something he was not expecting. That made a profound impact on him. He was reminded that there was help waiting for him when he was ready to receive it.
Jim has been attending NA meetings. When things are tough, he is able to talk to staff members about his struggles. When asked what the shelter has done for him, he said, “They provided an opportunity for me to get my life back. A place that’s stable. I know I have a bed every night. I don’t have the stress of wondering where I’m going to sleep tonight. There’s always a warm bed, there’s always food.”
Jim told me about the day he met his new case manager, Corey. Corey told him he wanted 5 job applications on his desk by the end of the week or he would be exited. Jim explained why he couldn’t meet that deadline due to doctors’ appointments but Corey wouldn’t hear of it. Jim left the office mad. Two weeks later he was in Corey’s office hugging him and thanking him. He said, “Corey knew just what I needed. I had gotten comfortable here, this had become home and you should never get comfortable. That’s the worst thing that can happen. So it’s people like that who work here. They’re not just here doing their job, they’re here because they care and they want to see you succeed. I can’t say enough about the staff.”
Jim has several health issues making it hard for him to hold down a job. However, he has gotten a job managing a sober living house and while he’s unsure if he can actually do the job, he’s going to try. And while he never wants to come back to the shelter as a client, he can always come back for support and encouragement from the staff.