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1.
Please provide some additional detail on the
immersion experiences you coordinate. How are they the same and how do they
differ from SPU Urban Plunge experiences? These take place in downtown
Portland? How does Portland compare with Seattle in how the homeless are
treated? Students from many schools participate? You say most are students –
what other people also do these? Would you describe what a typical day for one
of the participants might look like?
The
immersion program is designed as an educational experience for people to learn
about poverty and social injustices through relationships and conversation. The
immersions range in length from a half-day to a whole week. Through
volunteering, tours, conversations with people on the streets, dinner with friends
of JOIN (both housed and un-housed), discussion and reflection students gain
insight into the lives of people who are experiencing homelessness, and,
hopefully, become motivated to seek social change. My hope is that the
immersion experiences will be both informative and transformative. Participants
are provided with the opportunity to break down stereotypes and stigma, ask new
questions, explore the root causes of homelessness, examine how their own lives
are connected to social injustices, and begin a journey toward with compassion
and justice.
The
JOIN immersions share similar goals to SPU’s Urban Plunge though with different
foundations and a bit more structure. JOIN’s immersions began in partnership
with the Catholic Archdiocese and are informed by liberation theology and the
Catholic Worker movement. JOIN is not a faith-based organization, so the
immersions have no direct religious element, though there is space to discuss how
spirituality is related to justice if participants bring this into
conversation. This is in contrast to Urban Plunge which includes prayer and
exploration of what a Christian response to homelessness ought to be. Also,
whereas on Urban Plunge, participants have significant amount of unstructured time
to explore in groups, JOIN’s immersions are more guided. The immersion experience
is facilitated by myself and some of my friends who have experienced
homelessness.
A
typical day on an immersion would begin at JOIN which is located in NE
Portland. Participants wake up at 5am after sleeping on the hardwood floor in
“the House” as a small act of solidarity with those sleeping outside. We then
take the MAX light rail into Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood which
is just south of the downtown business district. The first activity of the day
is volunteering at the Blanchet House of Hospitality serving breakfast.
Participants have the opportunity to see how a feeding center works, interact
with guests, and volunteer alongside men who are in a recovery program at
Blanchet and run the meal provision. After breakfast, my friend Larry and I
co-lead a tour of Old Town allowing participants to see social service
providers, neighborhood dynamics, and issues affecting people outside. Larry
talks about the challenges he faced living without housing for over thirty
years before returning inside with assistance from JOIN. Following the tour,
the participants break into small groups for two hours of exploring Old Town.
During this time, participants visit organizations, engage with people, observe
the neighborhood, see what it’s like to be outside without a place to rest, and
find lunch with only a $1 each. When this exploration ends, we take the bus
over to a place called “the caves” underneath the Ross Island Bridge on the
east side of the river. People camp in “the caves” which are underneath the
roadway above a steep embankment. My friend Julius shares his story of being
homeless for nearly a decade and points out exactly where he slept underneath
the roadway. After this activity, there is a break in the day to allow
participants to rest and process what they have experienced. Participants have
a journal with guiding questions and additional information to facilitate their
learning. In the evening, we share a dinner with guests who I have built
relationships with in the day space or who have been housed by JOIN. Guests
have an opportunity to share their stories, and we all get to share a meal
together as one community. The day ends with processing through journaling,
discussion in small and large groups and an evening reflection.
So
far I have led immersions with groups from three high schools and one
university with over 100 participants total between all the groups. Coming up
in the spring and summer, I have about seven immersions scheduled with groups
from high schools, universities and youth groups. The experiences are open to
adult groups, and I would like the program more visible to adult groups that
might be interested. Last year, JOIN’s board participated in an immersion.
I
don’t know if I have enough knowledge to answer how Portland treatment of
people experiencing homelessness compares with Seattle’s. Both cities are
viewed as being relatively friendly to people on the streets and there are more
resources available than many other places. At the same time, people outside
still face significant stigma. Though both cities are known as very progressive
places, there still is significant NIMBYism (Not in my backyard). Both cities
have thousands of people sleeping outside without shelter beds available.
Affordable housing is increasingly hard to find in both cities, and
gentrification is transforming both cities. The Western Regional Advocacy
Project (WRAP) conducted interviews with 1,200 people experiencing poverty and
homelessness and found:
“• 81% of survey respondents reported being harassed,
cited, or arrested for sleeping.
• 77% of survey respondents reported being harassed,
cited, or arrested for sitting or lying on the sidewalk.
• 66% of survey respondents reported being harassed,
cited, or arrested for loitering or
hanging out.
• Only 26% of the respondents said they knew of a safe
place to sleep at night.”
These
statistics resonate with the stories I hear from people I meet at JOIN. While
Seattle and Portland are much friendlier than other places, and there are
strong governmental and private efforts to end homelessness, the reality is
that in both places there are not enough resources and people are treated
inhumanely.
2.
“The House” is a day center only, no overnight
housing? You facilitate guests getting the help they need? All ages? Is this
also located in downtown Portland? How many are able to transition off the
streets into housing?
“The
House” is a day center only. We are open 10am-3pm, Monday thru Friday and
located in NE Portland (in the Montavilla neighborhood, which could be loosely
compared to Aurora in Seattle). We are open to anyone and have a diverse group
of guests in terms of age, gender, race, family, and housing status. We try to
create a safe and welcoming space for all. Equity and inclusion are a high
priority at JOIN, and we continue to learn how we can best live out these
values in our work individually and organizationally.
I
help facilitate our guests accessing the basic services we offer. I work with
our volunteers to provide showers, mail, computer access, locker space,
clothing, hygiene items, haircuts, etc. to guests. I answer questions and
respond to requests for items and assistance. I greet guests and provide an
overview of what we offer and how we run on a barter point system. To the best
of my ability I also provide referral to additional services that people are
looking for. I try to provide the resources people need which could be anything
from information on how to get on waiting lists for housing, to where to get
food, to how to use email, to making a copy of a document, to giving them shoe
laces, and seemingly anything and everything in between.
Beyond
the tangible resources I may be available to provide, I seek to offer a humble,
positive presence. I try to extend human connection and care to each guest I
encounter, honoring their dignity, worth, knowledge and resilience. I try to
recognize that I have a lot to learn and receive from the people I am
privileged to accompany in service.
It
is a difficult question to answer how many people transition off the streets
into housing. Our guests in the day space include people who are chronically
homeless as well as people who may just be outside temporarily or episodically.
The main mission of JOIN is to support people in getting off the streets and
into permanent housing but this efforts is somewhat separate from our work in
the day space. All of JOIN’s assistance with housing is done through outreach looking
to connect with the most vulnerable populations and people who might not be
accessing services elsewhere. We have eight outreach workers who build
relationships with people outside or in their vehicles throughout the entirety
of Portland and East Multnomah County. Workers come alongside people to support
them where they are at, and offer a hand-up to so that they may overcome
barriers to leaving the streets. Funds are available to cover application fees,
deposits and first month’s rent when someone finds an apartment. In 2013, JOIN
supported 713 individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing
(including 92 families with over 200 children under the age of 18). We also
have five retention workers who support people we’ve helped transition into
housing in maintaining that housing. Retention workers offer friendly visits,
community building activities, occasional financial resource, and other
resources to meet needs as they arise.
3.
Describe one of the more meaningful exchanges you
have had with a guest.
It
was probably September or October when I met a man whose name I will refrain
from sharing to protect his privacy. Now I didn’t really know this man, but he
came into JOIN fairly often and I had checked his mail enough times to remember
his name. One day, as I was walking through the relative chaos of the day space
with a number of tasks on my mind, I noticed that he was sitting alone and
looking morose. I almost walked past him, but I decided to pause and ask him
how his day was going. His day was not going well, and for the next twenty
minutes he proceeded to tell me his story.
He
had been with a woman whom he considered his wife for nearly eight years.
During that time, both of them had experienced homelessness for periods of time
and struggled with addiction. At one point, his drug use had caused his wife to
lose the housing she had recently moved into. Yet after this, and through all
the ups and downs, the two of them had always come back together. But over the
summer, he had begun using again and lost his job. He felt so much shame that
he stole his wife’s car and left without telling her. At the point I was talking
with him, he had been away for a couple months and never let her know where he
was. He told me that he loved her so much and wanted to make things right.
This
man allowed me to bear witness to his life. He entrusted me with personal
details and demonstrated a deep vulnerability in sharing with me much that he
wished were different in his life. He invited me to be present with him in a
way that I think many of us may find difficult. It can be scary to let others
into our places of fear, loneliness, and regret. It may be much easier to hide
or numb and never let into the light the deep sorrows, as well as the deep
joys, of our lives. So many of the guests at JOIN have gifted me with their
stories and allowing me to walk next to them on their journey.
My
first conversation with this man has led to many more. He has offered me
friendship which defies the roles of service provider and recipient. I have
been able to offer this man continued support through a very difficult season
in his life not because it is my job, but we because we have a mutual
relationship of care and concern.
4.
Do you know what you might like to do after your
year of service with the Volunteer Corps?
That
is a great question! The short answer is I do not know. One possibility is
doing a second year of service with JVC NW or doing a similar program
elsewhere. Another possibility would be looking for employment at a
not-for-profit or church doing justice work most likely in Seattle or Portland.
I also am discerning the possibility of pursuing theological education or a
masters degree in social work. Right now, I feel content to be in a place of
unknowing, and I am focusing on being present. I want to be open to what this
year invites me to, and I know it will continue to bring unforeseen
opportunities. Rather than being concerned about what I will do, I am hoping to
focus more on who I am becoming and place myself where I will be guided and
transformed by God’s grace. I know that I have a lot to learn, and whatever I
end up doing, I hope to be under leadership and within community that will
challenge and inspire me.
5.
What keeps you optimistic about the service and
justice work you do?
The people I work with
keep me optimistic about the service and justice work I do. I have the honor of
accompanying people facing some of the most difficult circumstances humans can
face, and they keep going. I see the resilience and creativity people
demonstrating in surviving. I have seen people make it into housing despite
seemingly insurmountable odds. The beauty, worth and strength of the human
spirit continually amazes me. I work with people who have their humanity
reduced to labels and stereotypes “bum,” “addict,” “felon,”“lazy” – yet each
person I meet has a story and a personality so much larger than their
socioeconomic status.
I do not want to overly
romanticize the situation. While people do live with hope and resilience, I do
see homelessness crush people’s spirits. I have seen people do terrible things
to others and themselves. I see a tremendous amount of need that exceeds the
resources available. I see the deep effects of systemic oppression on
individuals. Sometimes I feel like the work I am doing makes no difference.
Yet, while I see such
great need and brokenness, I also see strength, redemption and change. I see
the image of God in the people I work with and this keeps me going.
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