Five Weekly Highlights - December 14, 2012

·         Due to a variety of factors, our numbers are dropping in December! That’s good!

·         “Thom” got a new place and got a Good Luck Box.  “I’m inside for the winter!” he said.

·         We are trying out a new morning exercise option, to energize our guests for a productive day.

·         “Dan” got a new place after years of homelessness.  He is so excited.  He got a Good Luck Box, too.

·         Community supporter Edie brought by many helpful items.  Thanks!

Five (Actually 8!) Weekly Highlights - December 7, 2012

·         “Lisa” just got a room!  She got a Good Luck box and is very happy.

·         Santa Claus came by with two elves (Julie and Emily from St. Anselm College) distributing gifts of socks for everyone.

·         Selected TEDtalks with positive themes have been well-received.

·         “Ike” came by to celebrate his new car; he beat the bottle and has held a job and housing for a year.

·         Project Homeless Connect at St. Joseph Cathedral gathered providers and resources for a day of giving to equip the homeless for the winter.  The Center and the Recipe for Success Program handled lunch.

·         Gary, our computer guru, equipped us with a better system. Thanks, Gary!

·         We welcomed Kelsey Grist as our new Americorps VISTA worker, filled with enthusiasm.

·         18 college students finished their work at the Center, fulfilling a variety of projects.

Five Weekly Highlight- November 16, 2012

• “Michael” is holding his job and has his own place!  Way to go!
• Several of our people are ringing bells for the Salvation Army!  Good for everyone!
• George & Marilyn responded abundantly to our urgent request for razors.  We are set for a good while.  Thank you so much!!
• Texas Instruments came through with a huge box of donated items, including personal care items and backpacks.  Wow!  Thanks to everyone at TI.
•  We have reached through 200 people per day in November.

Five Weekly Highlights- October 12, 2012

  ·  “Evan” moved into transitional housing earlier this week; he is so relieved

  ·   A former guest, who inherited some money, donated audiovisual equipment.

  · “Janet & Lon” are moving into a new place; they got a good luck box

  ·  Joel donated a copier for our office.

  · “FIVE WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS” IS ONE YEAR OLD!  Happy Birthday to us!

Five Weekly Highlights- October 19, 2012

 ·    Tasha, a volunteer, came in to help in the kitchen and decorate the walls with art from her  children’s preschool. Thanks, Tasha!

 ·“Tess” is so excited about the housing she is moving into in a few days.

 ·   Thanks to the good friends who stepped in with donations of razors and shaving cream.

 ·    A local job search consultant came in to offer a session for landing a job. Thanks, Mike!

 ·    A new system for recruiting in-house labor is working very well!

Five Weekly Highlights- October 5, 2012

· “Marty” got an apartment after 5 years of waiting and working. He is so happy!!

· “Big Tim” got into a new place, too. 

· “Wendy” and “Steve” moved into a new place on the West Side.

·  Women from a local church donated hygiene products for our guests.

·  Today we said Thank you and Goodbye to Josh, aka Captain Uno, a wheelchair-bound

    volunteer who has been a source of great joy for the Center for several months.

Five Weekly Highlights - November 9, 2012

• "Gerry" got a new place after months of waiting. He got a Good Luck Box.
• "Mark" got a job, temporary, but he says, "I'm going to make this work.
• We remember Irene, a volunteer who helped in the kitchen since we opened.
• Immanual Lutheran Church has given us a new batch of backpacks. Thanks!
• "Phil" and "Frank" headed home to the Midwest, to beat the winter.

Fear or Rejection

“My greatest fear is asking for help and getting rejected.”

  I heard that comment from a homeless guest who has been aggressively pursuing some positive options in his life. In recent months I have been impressed by his dogged determination using the Center’s phones, computers, mail service and scanning capacity to cobble together a new life.Today he seems poised for success.

            This morning he reviewed his endeavor and said, “This Center has been the lifeline. Everything I needed to make it happen was here. What I realized though is that my greatest fear is asking for help.I am a proud person, and I had to figure out how, at 45 years of age, I could ask for help. Getting rejected just destroys me. Like many homeless here, we get rejected and denied over and over again, and we lose heart. But this time I’m gonna make it.”

            His story is dramatic, but it illustrates one of the fundamental features of the Center, giving the homeless the tools they need to access systems and pursue plans. We also try to provide a critical but intangible resource: encouragement. In the face of persistent fear and constant rejection, reality-based encouragement often makes the difference. We have to believe that. We have to.


Written By: Christopher Emerson, Director, Manchester Homeless Services Center

Weekly Highlights- July 23, 2012

• “Royal” is finding day labor, trying to rebuild his life after foreclosure.
• Volunteers from Journey Church came to serve lunch.
• Volunteers from Hampstead Village Preschool came to serve lunch, too!
• Larry is starting reading assessments with prospective students for
  “Reading to Win”.
• Gary from Comptech donated a computer for our federal reporting work.

Like A Beach

The Homeless Center is like a beach. Sometimes it’s like the tide coming in, and people are everywhere, swirling, bumping into each other, bringing up the stuff of life, often other people’s leftovers. Sometimes its low tide, as the people drain away onto the streets, leaving a quieter place. Also, like the beach we can often predict the tides around here. There’s a high tide at 8 AM, when people are eager to come in out of the cold, grab a coffee, take a shower or look for one of the providers who work here. The tide recedes an hour later, but we get another high water mark just before lunch. Around 1 PM the tide slowly recedes, until the end of the day, 4 PM, we see our lowest tide.

There is a rhythm here, (when the moon is full??), we get surprised by a large number of people with problems, difficulties, questions and concerns. On such days I can be approached or interrupted 15-20 times an hour. But of course that’s why I’m here, to be accessible and approachable by the homeless and nearly homeless who have questions and requests. 

As I write more of these blogs, I’ll give you a casual look inside life at the Center, what we do, what we face, our challenges and successes. It’s a great place to be, and I’d like you to know why.



Written By: Christopher Emerson, Director, Manchester Homeless Services Center

Grand Central Station

Most of the time, it’s constant. Homeless guests knock on the office door, wave, call out my name or sidle up for a whispered word. It is not uncommon to field fifteen requests an hour.

What do they ask?

“These sneakers are shot.  Where can I get some boots for the snow?”

“When’s Dave coming in?  I need to talk to him.” (Substitute Jacob, Izet, Lisa, Mary, 

 Linda or Peter – our regular team of excellent providers)

“Can I get my laundry done today? I’m in a bind.”

“I have a restraining order against that guy. Can I talk to you about it?”

“Where can I get a bus pass?”

"Some guy is on the phone, wanting to talk about what this place is all about.”

“We need more paper towels in the men’s room.”

“Do you need some help around here today?” 

“Joe is outside drinking from a can he keeps hidden in his jacket.”

“Shall we put out an extra pot of coffee?”

“I need to get out of this town. I got a friend in Nashua. Can I call him to tell him to Come

 get me?"

“Can you print out this resume for me?”

”New Horizons is on the phone. They’re sending someone down to us.They need to talk

 about her.”

“There’s a parole officer here, wants to talk to you.”

“There’s a leak in the kitchen.”

“Can I get my mail here?  They say you do a letter about that.”

  From tiny details to life crises, life at the Center is a constant stream of requests. But 

  that’s the whole point. This place is a referral center, a kind of Grand Central Station

  where people make connections on their way some place else.

  Written By: Christopher Emerson, Director, Manchester Homeless Services Center

The Spirit of Thanksgiving

 The Spirit of Thanksgiving

A  note from one of our guests and her daughter:

“I cannot thank you all enough for the kindness you’ve shown to my daughter and me.  When we became homeless back in September, my life at that moment was NOT the one I wanted to live, nor did I want her being homeless, too.  I still don’t.  I beat myself up emotionally at times for us being in this situation. Anyway, we’re both grateful for having a place to “hang out” as I don’t know how we would’ve managed life daily without your help.  The services you offer to those who need it I never would have known about if it wasn’t for you folks.  So, whenever my daughter and I are no longer homeless, I’m hoping this place will continue to help those that need it like we have. Thank you very much.”

Written By: Christopher Emerson

Weekly Highlights - July 6, 2012

• "Ike is in veterans housing out of town; he's delighted with his new start.
• "Ray" got a part-time job in town; he's so happy. 
• Community volunteer Bill has become a dependable Friday helper with the food bank run. 
• We hit a low for lunch, 58. We hope our numbers go down, not up!
• We are launching a new functional literacy program through Reading Plus ®, sponsored by Granite United Way. We call it "Reading to Win."

Weekly Highlights - June 15, 2012

• "Steve got a new job and apartment. He'll get a Good Luck Box.
• "Chad" got his license back after 12 years! He is ready to go!
• "Jess," a young community volunteer with disabilities, is coming in to play games with the guests.
• "Harry," a new community volunteer, is helping Dickie at the front desk. Thanks, "Harry"!
• Our guests are responding well (so far) to new guidelines for staying inside the Center and our of the alley.

Weekly Highlights - June 29, 2012

• "Gerry finished up two months of dependable work in the kitchen;he got a paying job.
• "Bill" got a new vehicle to get to the job he landed.
• "Mo" was accepted in a job training program.
• Community volunteers are getting trained in a new literacy program to be run here.
• On Wednesday we hit a new high of 185 for lunch.

Good Luck Bags

In the Five Weekly Highlights I sometimes mention giving out a Good Luck Bag?  What’s that all about, you might ask?

            Well, when people who come to the Center get a new place to live, we want to celebrate their positive change and support their forward motion.  Since homeless people usually own only what they can carry on their back, they often need everything to get started in a new place.   And I mean everything.

            So, I assemble a bag of whatever things we have around here:  toothpaste and toothbrush, soap, pillow, plate and cup, towels, shampoo, even a pot or pan if one has come my way.  Since we don’t have room to store many donations and don’t want to draw donations away from other bigger agencies, we don’t invite them.  But sometimes people bring things anyway. Occasionally boxes of “stuff” are left on the doorstep.  And if I I’ve got it, I’ll give it away… in a good luck bag.

            People are always grateful.  And they get the point , that we want to encourage them to keep moving forward in life.  One of my favorite sayings around here is this:  “the Homeless Center is a pretty good place to be, but it is a much better place to be from.”

Ted's Tears

Ted is a big man, muscular, with callous and cracked hands, making the tears in his eyes incongruous.
            Backstory:  Students from St. Anselm College come to the Center and offer to listen to the homeless tell their story.  The program is a way for the students to learn about homelessness from the “textbook” of real people.  It also provides a rare and valuable opportunity for the homeless to narrate their life story to attentive, non-judging young people.  It works.  The stories flow as the students listen and learn.  Homeless guests who think they might spend five or ten minutes with the students sometimes spend an hour or more.
            A while ago I asked Ted if he would give the students a lesson about life on the streets, telling them what it’s like to live and survive on the streets of the city. “You know things they need to hear,” I said.
            He agreed readily and went into the room where the two students waited.  After just three minutes Ted came out, masking his face.  Concerned that a problem had developed, I asked him if he was alright.  That’s when I saw the tears.
            “Whew,” he said, trying to gather himself.  “I didn’t count on that.  Once I started talking, you know, talking about my life, all sorts of things came back, and all that old pain was there again, you know?”
            “Hey, Ted, you don’t have to say anything.  I can tell the students…”
            “No!  No!  I want to. Just give me a minute.”
            He went into the men’s room and after a few minutes came out with a freshly washed and determined face.
            “You OK?” I asked.
            “Yeah.  Fine,” he said.  “You know, once I started talking I realized that it’s been a lot of years – I mean a lot of years – since anyone listened to me, just listened, without some smartass thing to say, or giving me grief.  It got to me, you know.  But I’m OK.  Wow, this is amazing.”
            He walked back to the students and stayed for an hour.
            Later one of the students said to me, “That was amazing.  He was so real. I felt like he held nothing back.” 
            Ted seized an opportunity which is far too rare for the homeless, or for anyone.

Measuring Life by Minutes...

“So, what’s up with all the cell phones?”

            I hear the question frequently.  Visitors to the Homeless Center are sometimes perplexed by the prevalence of cell phones.  There are times in the day when this place sounds like a ring tone fair!

            I suppose people figure that either the homeless have no money for cell phones;.  Or, if they do have some cash, why are they spending their scarce resources on a luxury item like a cell phone?  Put that money toward rent or food!!

            I won’t try to defend or rationalize how the homeless spend the money they have, but I will offer a few thoughts on why they might value the cell phones.

            1.  It’s their primary link to their own community.  Since social isolation is a known depressant, I can understand their need for contact.  I have the same need.

            2.  Since they have no fixed abode with a landline, their best way to be contacted by providers or family is via cell phone.  As someone who doesn’t use a landline anymore, I can understand that element, as well.

            3.  Like the rest of us, hearing your phone ring is a quick boost to self-esteem.   Cell phones tell the world, “Someone wants me!”  Since a quick descent into presumed insignificance is the typical plight of virtually all homeless people, any little thing which conveys a sense of self-worth is embraced, even if it’s just a ring tone.

            Are these three things worth the price of the phone?  Apparently, the answer is  Yes.  How people spend their money, whether a lot or a little, is always an indicator of their priorities in life, what they need to get through the day.

            By the way, while many people today use fancy smartphones, believe me, the homeless generally use bottom of the line throwaways.  They’re often out of minutes,  scraping a few dollars to buy a few more.  Measuring life by minutes – that’s how it is for the homeless.

Five Weekly Highlights - June 8, 2012

• "Bob" has a new job and apartment and is on his own! He got a Good Luck Box.
• Comptech, Llc. from Goffstown has given many hours of time sprucing up our computer systems
• Pastor Terry Karr from Christian Family Worship Center donated bread and bagels! Thanks!
• A neighbor walked over with coffee, sugar and oatmeal for us! Thank you!
• We hit a new daily high of 228 guests on May 29 and a daily average of 170 for May.

Five Weekly Highlights - May 18, 2012

·         Eighteen haircuts were provided by our visiting beauticians.

·         “Kim” moved into her new place; she gets a Good Luck Box!

·         St. Anselm students donated many end-of-the-year household items to housed guests.

·         “Sal” completed the “Homebuyer Education Seminar” with NeighborWorks.

·         A local church group of eight women visited, donating many valuable items for our guests. Thanks!

Five Weekly Highlights - May 4, 2012

·         Pete, our Goodwill job search provider, is doubling his hours, with strong response from guests

·         Six St. Anselm students completed an excellent term of service in our Life Narrative Project

·         “Jess” has just been approved for supported housing; he plans “to finally get a full night’s sleep”

·         “Ted” got approved for SSI; “Now I can catch a breath until I get back to work”

·         “Jerry” got a temporary job in landscaping: “It’s good to work and be outside”

Five Weekly Highlights - April 27, 2012

·         “Don” got a new job, part-time, at a local supermarket.

·         “Lynn” and “Walt” are moving into a new place; they got a Good Luck box.

·         “Frenchie” won the rolling duffle bag, part of a work incentive program.

·         In Q1 of 2012, 156 people got help looking for jobs; 52 had medical appointments here.

·         A police officer, dropping by, called the Center “a gem getting better and better.”

Five Weekly Highlights - April 20, 2012

·         Our new Assistant Manager Woullard Lett joined our team

·         “Angela” is moving into her new place today, no longer living in her car!

·         “Sean” is moving home, elsewhere in NH, to be near family.

·         Two “Goodwill All-Stars” (“Bill” and ”Ike”) pursued jobs online and got them.

·         Chris Emerson and Dickie Gaudette are speaking tonight at the St. Anselm College Meelia Center Appreciation Dinner, discussing our service/learning program.

Five Weekly Highlights - April 13, 2012

• St. Anselm College students are connecting with our guests for end-of-year donations.
• "Linda" got a full-time job in her field, third shift.
• "Steve" got a part-time job, and he's been smiling ever since.
• Today we said "Thank You!!" and Farewell" to Amy Lamy whose other job went full-time; a new assistant is expected to start next week.
• Chris Emerson, manager at the Homeless Service Center received the St. Anselm's President's Award for Community Partnerships at the NH College & University Councils President's Awards luncheon.
• "Steve" got his birth certificate, the key to getting an ID and a job!

Five Weekly Highlights - April 6, 2012

• “Tim” got a one-bedroom apartment; his job has stabilized well. 
• We thank Special Olympics for donating muffins and cupcakes.
• “Curly” got a place in local supportive housing. “I needed help,” he said.
• Jean Jacques reports we provided 15 haircuts provided by two beauticians.
• A community friend donated a rolling duffle bag, now part of a work incentive program.

Five Weekly Highlights - March 30, 2012

• Gov. Lynch came to visit today.
• After several serious setbacks, “Nick” pursued and landed another job.
• “Sean” is moving to a treatment facility elsewhere in the state. “I gotta do it.”
• “Rudy,” off his meds and worried, asked for mental health help; Dave stepped right in.
• A local laundromat posts our info, and eight people have contacted us for help.

Five Weekly Highlights - March 23, 2012

• “Zeke” just got a full-time job, and is “feeling great!”
• ”Billy” just found an apartment – “a new start,” he says
• Community friends donated coffee, toiletries and much more
• “Eddie” moved from the shelter into a trailer; “I’m happy now.”
• On their own, four guests completely cleaned, swept and hosed the outside!

Are You a Hobo?

Are You a Hobo?

It didn’t take long for the tears to form in Mick’s eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some change - pennies, nickels and dimes.This is the story he told…

So yesterday I was walking down the street, and I walked past a girl on a bike. She stopped and said,`Are you a hobo?’ I was embarrassed by the question, so I said, “No, I’m not a hobo, I’m just down on my luck right now.”She reached into her pocket and pulled out some change and said, “Here.” I asked, “Where’d that money come from?”“It’s my allowance. Here, you can have it.” “No, thanks, but you should spend it on something for yourself.” "But    I am. I’ll just leave it here for you.” Then she put the money down on the sidewalk and rode away. I could see Mick was moved by the story. I waited.“It made my day. I don’t want to spend the money. I just want to keep it in my pocket, you know, as a reminder that that little girl wanted to help me. To remind me that there are good and decent people in this world. I mean, that girl was brought up right. You can tell.”He picked up the change, fingered the coins and put it back in his pocket. “How old was she?” I asked. “About six, I’d say. I wanted to follow her home to thank her parents, and tell them what a great daughter they’re raising, but I knew that would freak them out, so I just let her ride off.  What a great little girl.” 

Nick’s Mite

Nick knocked on the office door. “What can I do for you, Nick?” I asked. He quizzed me 
for ten minutes on the funding for the Center. At the Center I like to answer questions
simply and directly. Unless privacy issues are involved, I just answer the question.
Hearing my answers, Nick said, “OK, I like that.” He pulled two crumpled dollar bills out
of his pocket and placed them on the desk.  “Use that for whatever you want. You folks
have helped me a lot, and if I have something to spare, I’ll give it to you.” I thanked him
and assured him it would help people here.  He waved and walked away. Almost
everyone at the Center has some kind of income, perhaps from Medicaid or SSI or
SSDI. The amount received is rarely enough to provide for housing and living expenses,
but they do keep some money in their pockets. Yes, the donation was almost too small
to move through the accounting process, but it says a lot that a guest wants to
contribute, communicating trust, pride and ownership. Remember the old story of the
poor widow’s mite, how her donated penny was proportionately worth more than a ten
thousand dollar gift from a very wealthy person. Nick’s mite is the same.

Five Weekly Highlights - March 9, 2012

• “Steve” got a job with help from Linda, veteran services provider
• Jean Jacques brought in beauticians who provided 14 haircuts on Monday
• “Al” got a job offer for permanent employment, using our computers for online applications.
• “Ellie” got her old job back working with a carnival out of state. She is ecstatic.
• “Linda” has decided to seek entrance into a detox facility. We applaud her!

Five Weekly Highlights - February 24, 2012

• “Luke” landed a job, with key help from Linda Lurvey.
•  Three volunteers, through Granite United Way, helped serve lunch.
• “Phil” got a full-time job  - “thanks to the Center’s computers,” he said.
• Women from First Congregational Church donated bags of toiletries – thank you!
• ·“Chan” got a job washing dishes; he’s relieved and delighted.

Five Weekly Highlights - February 17, 2012

• “Kris” just found a place!  She’s practicing better budgeting.
• Lt. Soucy from the MPD came by for a get acquainted visit.  Thanks!
• “Frank” & “Alice” are moving into a new place and are determined to find jobs.
• Two men finished taking an 10-hour online certification course, saying, “I don’t know how we’d do this without the Center.”
• “Ike,” homeless and battling alcohol, has stayed sober, kept a job for four months and is   celebrating getting a car this week

 Five Weekly Highlights

• “Lenny” received wraparound services from our providers and is now in good hands.
• Five St. Anselm students have begun a new season of Life Narrative volunteer work.
•  "Juan” and “Sharlene” found a place to live and received a Good Luck bag.
• Sixteen haircuts were provided by beauticians via Jean Jacques, health educator.
• Photographer Elsa Voelcker from St. Anselm College took twenty portraits for our display.

Five Weekly Highlights - February 3, 2012

• Jean Jacques, RN, came in for a smoking cessation workshop.
• "Phil" praised Peter from Goodwill for resume help: "He’s totally awesome."
• A young woman in the area donated twenty picture frames for our portrait display.
• "Sheldon" moves into a new apartment today – "leaving this place behind…with thanks".
•  Weekly New Horizons loans us a van so we can pick up meals at the Food Bank. Thank you!!

The 80/20 Rule

    Lately I have been citing the “80/20 Rule” fairly often. Let me set up the story. On Fridays
I ask a couple of homeless guests to accompany me to the New Hampshire Food Bank where I pick up 50 pans of food to serve for lunch for the next week. It’s very valuable to me to have their assistance.

    Over the past few months I can count on about 6-8 different guys who will usually volunteer quickly to help me. Others will pitch in now and again, depending on a variety of factors. Most turn away when I ask.Among those 6-8 dependable guys, I frequently hear one of them say, “How come more people don’t volunteer? You give them a free lunch.The least they can do is ride over and help pick it up.”

    Of course the logic is impeccable. But logic does not make the world go `round. What does make the world go round is the Pareto Principle, also called the 80/20 rule. It states that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. Or, in its variants:  80% of the results come from 20% of the causes.  

    In all my years in various communities, I have seen the truth of this Principle proven again and again.  And now I see it at the Homeless Center. I saw how true it was with CEOs and physicians when I worked in Connecticut, and I see it as true now with the homeless. 

    What does that tell me? That the Pareto principle applies to human nature, regardless of income or circumstance. Because I have lived for so long with this Principle,  it’s simply part of my view of the world as it is. On Fridays at the Homeless Center, I am always grateful for those who choose to help, and I do not resent those who won’t. I am neither surprised nor disappointed by the reality of human behavior. Acceptance is a big first step toward peace of mind.

Five Weekly Highlights - January 27, 2012

• Katy from SNAP at the Food Bank is now a provider here, helping with food stamps.
• "Sherri" begins her new housing today; she got a Good Luck bag.
• "Stew" and "Renata" moved into their place, they got a Good Luck bag.
• A church group distributed handmade caps and scarves.
• We are now giving out Meals Ready to Eat on Fridays, for the weekend, for their backpacks.  

                                                                   

Protected

           We occasionally hear about the police rousting the homeless, chasing them away from their camps and tents. Certainly that happens now and again, for good or ill, but let me tell you a different story.
            Brian is a thoughtful, sensitive and jovial young man who spends his nights in an abandoned building in the city. He has found a cozy spot in an upstairs room, away from wind and windows. Of course there is no heat, light or water, but he is under a roof. Occasionally a friend or two stays with him, but usually he is alone. And content.
            Brian was describing a recent visit by two officers. They go into the building, trudge upstairs and find Brian. 
            “Hey, Brian.”
            “Hey.”
            “You OK?”  The police look around.
            “Yeah, I’m fine.  Thanks.”
            “We heard there might be some people shooting up around here. Is there anyone else on this floor?”
            “All I know is what’s going on right here.”
            “Fair enough, Brian.  Anyone giving you a hard time?”
            “Nope, but I can take care of myself if I have to.”
            “Alright, you take it easy now.”
            “I will. Thanks for checking.”
            “You have a good night now.”
            And the officers left.
            When Brian told me the story, I was impressed by how gentle and protective the police sounded. Certainly he felt protected by their visit – not harassed, not rousted, not judged or demeaned. 
            That impression has been confirmed by conversations with some of the officers who come into the Center. They know that the homeless don’t have many choices. They know that not everyone wants to stay in a shelter or risk being assaulted outside. A hidden place in an abandoned building is just the ticket for privacy. Of course that privacy can shield dangerous activity, or a young man who is simply trying to sleep safely in a harsh world.

Guests and Clients

            When I speak with providers about the Center, I always emphasize that the homeless who walk in are guests and not clients. Or, to be more accurate, they’re not clients yet.  Once they interface with an agency representative, then they might become a client for that agency.   But for me, my staff and volunteers, the homeless (and near homeless) who come in are always guests.

          What does that mean? It means I can welcome and serve them without worrying about their eligibility for programs. Providers do that. It means I deal only with their behavior inside the Center, without worrying about what may or may not have happened in the past or outside the Center. Police do that. It means I am not responsible for working with them on their future plans.  Case managers do that.

 

            It means I can focus on the moment, listening, responding and maintaining a safe zone that deals with today. Especially if guests want to make a fresh start and get beyond past problems, then today is the right focus. And if guests want to build a new future, that work also begins with doing today right.

      Certainly some aspects of my job require learning from the past and planning for the future; but 95% of the time, working with homeless guests asks me to be present in the present. In a swirling sea of trauma and trouble, it’s a good way to stay afloat.

Five Weekly Highlights

January 17, 2012

• Linda, our Harbor Homes rep, helped two people get jobs!
• Peter, our Goodwill rep, helped a man fix his resume, and he got a job!
• Carol, an agency rep from Serenity Place, started visits to meet with our people around substance abuse.
• Agency cooperation around a client "Dinah" is underway.
• "Tim" - a helpful guy - was able to return home in Missouri.

Unexpected Question

 In my office at the Homeless Center I have fifteen black-and-white portraits hanging on the walls. I took them about seven years ago when I was wandering around in downtown Manchester looking for great faces to capture on film. Some of them were homeless people, and some were people who live or work downtown.  I display them on the walls in order to convey to the homeless here that people like them are part of the general population, that they are not marginalized or invisible people, as some might feel, that even homeless people are worth "immortalizing" in a nice, large portrait.

Over the months I have been here, quite a few visitors and homeless guests have commented on the pictures, and I have heard more than a few stories about the people on my wall. I was some what taken aback, however, when a new homeless guest, sitting in my office for an intake conversation, looked at the pictures and said, "Are they all dead people?"Whoa!

Now, truth be told, one or two have in fact died since 2004, but the rest are very much alive, to the best of my knowledge. This is not a Memorial Gallery, nor is there any sign or marker to indicate even remotely that the portraits are of deceased people. But she did ask, "Are they all dead people?"

So I’ve been thinking. What associations with portraits does she have which would make her ask this question? Where has she been that such a question would seem natural and appropriate to her?　

In many public buildings, City Hall, for example, the gallery of portraits does chronicle history, and many deceased mayors are displayed. But my gallery showcases very ordinary people. So, what was she thinking?

I didn’t ask her, but I am brought up short by the fact that sometimes people look at the same object and draw drastically different conclusions.

Maybe her arrival at a Homeless Center, a new experience for her, feels literally like a dead end.
Maybe she wonders if this is the end-of-the-line for her. Like people who go into a nursing home expecting to leave only on a funeral director’s gurney, maybe some of my people feel like the Center is their last stand.

Since I am committed to the power of hope and compassion in this work, the idea that someone might see this place as a dead end is a powerful possibility, one I need to take seriously.

After all, how can I re-ignite a hope for life if death is on their minds? That newcomer’s unexpected question has become an important question to ponder.