Response(s) Pt. 2

So I got asked another set of questions for a section in the forthcoming Response magazine which will have brief vignettes of SPU alum meeting the challenge of homelessness. I enjoyed these questions almost as much as the first set so I thought I would share them on the blog as well. Feel free to read if you are interested in learning more about the service I am doing this year.

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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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The contents of this page, and all links appearing on this page, do not represent the positions, views, or intents of Jesuit Volunteers Corps Northwest.

Response(s)

I recently was invited to respond to some interview questions that could go into a section in the forthcoming Response magazine which will have brief vignettes of SPU alum meeting the challenge of homelessness. I am not sure if I will end up in the magazine, but I really enjoyed the questions and thought I would share my responses here.

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1.      Please tell me a bit about yourself and life after SPU. What is your position with Jesuit Volunteer Corps and how long have you been in the position?

I am from the Seattle area (Bothell), and I spent four wonderful, transformative years at SPU graduating in June 2014. While at SPU, I had my eyes opened to many social injustices and my privilege in society. Through classes, conversations and experiences through the John Perkins Center, my desire to participate in God’s liberating and reconciling mission in the world grew, and I have felt a calling to dedicate my life to service and justice. Specifically, through Urban Involvement (UI), I had the opportunity to engage in service and enter into relationship with people experiencing homelessness. I participated in and led Urban Plunge, became involved with TC3’s first visit, led educational and advocacy efforts through UI, volunteered at a men’s shelter downtown, interned at a shelter in Denver, and sought to promote reconciliation and justice through my position as the ASSP VP of Ministries.

All of these experiences during my time at SPU led to my decision to join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps NW for a year of service. As a Jesuit Volunteer/AmeriCorps member I seek to holistically live out the values of social & ecological justice, simple living, community and spirituality. I live with five other JVs in intentional community sharing a small budget. Each of us serves at various non-profits full-time. I serve as the Immersion Coordinator at JOIN, an organization seeking to support people’s transition off the streets into housing. I have been in the position since August 2014 and my service will conclude in July 2015.

2.       Tell me a little of the scope of what you do in your position.

As the Immersion Coordinator, I run JOIN’s immersion program which educates groups on homelessness and social justice. I do the recruitment, organization, facilitation, and development of immersion experiences which range in length from a half-day to a whole week. Throughout the year, I will lead fifteen groups (mostly student groups) on experiences where they will have the opportunity to converse with and learn from people experiencing homelessness, volunteer, see efforts to end homelessness and reflect on the root causes of social injustice and their connection to it. The immersions break down stereotypes, build community, and motivate students to pursue personal and social transformation. 

Alongside my service doing community education through the immersion program, I also do direct service in JOIN’s day center which we call “the House.” Two or three days a week, I run lead on “the House” overseeing the operations of providing people with basic services including showers, mail, computers, hygiene items, lockers, clothing, and simply a place to be during the day. I support and direct our community volunteers, help guests access basic services, provide referrals to other services, maintain a peaceful and welcoming environment, respond to crises and conflict, build relationships with guests and try to offer a compassionate, non-anxious presence to each person I encounter.

3.       What was your major at SPU and how has it prepared you to work with the homeless?

        My studies in Global Development at SPU provided me with motivation, knowledge, experience, and an approach that have been critical in my work with people experiencing homelessness. As a GDS student, I was blessed to be in a community of peers and teachers who shared and fostered my passion for pursuing justice. My classes exposed me to the realities of poverty near and far and the need for personal and societal transformation. I learned about the root, systemic causes of this poverty, and formed a conceptual framework for understanding homelessness. Through my internship for GDS and related volunteer work, I gained direct experience working with people without housing. My studies in Global Studies fostered my approach to service which is grounded in mutuality, learning, and pursuing social justice.

4.       What is most urgently needed of people of faith with regard to the challenge of homelessness?

Those experiencing homelessness are some of the most poor and vulnerable members of our society. As I serve daily among people experiencing homelessness, I witness the daily suffering of individuals and families who live outside, and the disparities and broken systems which cause and perpetuate homelessness in society. We need people of faith to follow Christ in serving the poor among us, and to seek first God’s Kingdom of peace and justice. We need people of faith, to offer mercy and do justice, as they humbly join God’s reconciling work in the world, seeking renewal in our relationship with God, and our relationship with one another, individually and communally.

In confronting the challenge of homelessness, people of faith are urgently needed to offer mercy. People living outside experience significant trauma and challenges in simply surviving. People of faith can support people in meeting their basic needs.  Extending compassion and human connection can be of great meaning as homelessness entails stigmatization and isolation. A simple smile and acknowledgement of someone’s existence can make someone’s day. We need communities of faith that see their relationships as extending beyond the doors of the church and out to the streets. We need people of faith that welcome the stranger into their community, meeting them where they are at and seeing not only their need but also their great worth and gifting. We are all dependent upon communities which support us in tangible and intangible ways; people of faith are called to extend this love and connection to those in need, walking with people in overcoming difficult circumstances and welcoming and empowering their contribution to community. As people of faith offer mercy and open themselves to those on the streets, the Spirit of God will be present, and all present, rich and poor, may be transformed.

Yet, more is needed than just meeting people where they are at and offering mercy. We urgently need people of faith to confront and transform the conditions which cause suffering. We need people of faith to enact justice personally and socially. On a societal level, homelessness is caused by poverty and lack of affordable housing which intersect with racial injustice and other forms of oppression. These social injustices, combined with personal vulnerabilities, lead to an astounding number of people without housing. We need people of faith to create a world where everyone can afford to live inside. We need the Church to bear prophetic witness, criticizing the current disparity and imagining another of way of being as a society. We need people of faith to examine their own lives and commit to living in a way that promotes justice. We need people of faith to find creative ways, as individuals and as communities, to restructure our political, social and economic systems so that they work for all and especially for the most vulnerable among us. We need people of faith to counter a culture centered on self-advancement and consumerism, with subversive communities centered on loving God and loving people.

We urgently need people of faith to be transformed by entering into relationship with people experiencing homelessness and to offer their material, human and spiritual resources to bring about God’s Kingdom on earth, creating a world where no one need live outside.

5.       What do you most want people to know about the homeless? What most inspires/challenges you about your work?

        I want people to know that each person who is experiencing homelessness is a beloved child of God, with a story that is so much larger than the stereotypes and categorizations that we fit homeless people in. Each person who is experiencing homelessness, be it for a day or twenty years, is a person. We should not reduce someone to their socioeconomic status. Each person who lives outside is full of potential and gifted by God. Each person who lives outside is full of hopes, regrets, quirks, faults, strengths, ideas, and dreams. Each person who lives outside is of infinite worth and deserving of respect and dignity.

      I have found my service to be challenging as I witness much suffering. It is hard to hold the heaviness that I experience as I enter into relationship with people who are facing some of the most difficult circumstances people can face. As I see the tangible effects of great injustice, it can be hard to find energy and hope. Yet, I am also inspired by the resilience people demonstrate in surviving and overcoming homelessness. I am grateful for the opportunity to be in relationship with so many diverse and unique people, and to see the humanity of people living in inhumane conditions.

6.       How can the readers of Response pray for you?

I would appreciate prayers for physical, emotional and spiritual well-being so that I may sustain the work I am doing. Readers may also pray that I am granted wisdom so that I serve well and become a more loving and just person. And finally, that I might be able to see the presence of Christ in each person I encounter.

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The contents of this page, and all links appearing on this page, do not represent the positions, views, or intents of Jesuit Volunteers Corps Northwest.