At the End of the Day

Produced by Ron Gardner, former TV news anchor.

Street Stories: David

As relayed to Barry Franklin, PR Team Writer

Every so often we take a chance on an experience and that chance goes on to change our lives in many ways. I am grateful to David for sharing his life with me. This is his story.

Where did you grow up?

“I was born in Boone Iowa. My dad drove a soft-top Studebaker and I have fond memories of him taking me for a ride. I remember we used to go to The Ledges. They’re a little State Park just outside Boone. Rivers ran through the place but they were low enough that a car could easily drive through. We’d get out, park and play in the river. I have 8mm videos of my parents and I floating down the Apple River. I had that converted to DVD. It cost me but that was when I was working. I had a job, a family and a house. I was someone. I’m still someone. When most people think about material things and a job, they think that if you don’t have any of that you’re not someone. I’m still that same person but then again I’m not. I’ve grown; I’ve aged since then. Being homeless can take its toll. When I was in school and the teacher asked me, ‘What are you going to be when you grow up little David?’ I didn’t answer I want to be a homeless man. But here I am.”

“Losing everything has made me a little more cautious and maybe a little more cynical. My trust level is not there as much as it used to be. I was married for 21 years and I’m a throwaway husband. That’s my fault I know that but I also know it takes two to make a marriage. I was there for my kids, I was there for my job but I forgot my best friend. She’s the mother of my children and I forgot about her. It took its toll to the point where there’s no turning back and I couldn’t repair it. I tried to go to therapy and asked her to come along. She didn’t want to have anything to with it, or me. We divorced in February of 1997.”

“I had a lot of anger. I moved into a storage shed. I didn’t tell my kids about that but my daughter pieced it together. She was still living in Aims, Iowa and I had moved a bit outside of town. She hitchhiked to where I was living. When I popped the door, there she was sitting in a lawn chair waiting and tapping her fingers. ‘It’s about time,’ she said. I didn’t say anything.”

“She asked if that was where I was staying and I said yes. Talk about embarrassing. That’s when she started crying. She asked me why I’d been lying to her. I didn’t know how to answer but only to say that I didn’t want her to worry about me.

“I didn’t have a choice, financially. I was paying child support and alimony. The mental toll, the divorce and therapy caught up with me at work. It wasn’t because I hit the bottle or did drugs. I drink once in a blue moon. It was my work performance. I wasn’t showing up. I didn’t care so they let me go. Sometime later I found some work back in Aimes. I got on my motorcycle and caught the old Lincoln highway. I came up to a stoplight and there was a bar across the street. Apparently this gentleman wanted his drink so bad that he pulled right out in front of my motorcycle. The last thing I remember is thinking, ‘this is going to hurt.’ I came out of a coma three days later. I was covered head to foot in bruises and full of broken bones. They had to set braces to keep my fingers from locking up into my hands and cutting in my skin. To this day I don’t remember the accident.”

What brought you to Boise?

“My aunt Tina and uncle Jack lived on a sailboat in Coos Bay, Oregon and I decided to go meet them. Their boat was a 60-foot cutter called Excalibur. It was beautiful. I got to Boise traveling in a car I had. I’d gone through four tires, a water pump and a fuel pump. I had to stop in Boise. I found the Front Street Mission and Labor Ready. I told my aunt and uncle where I was and they told me they’d wait and meet me in Coos Bay. Days and weeks went by and I was finally able to get moving. I didn’t get but a few miles out of Boise when the brake line of my car blew. I stood by the road and yelled. I asked God why because I didn’t know why. I didn’t know there was a rhyme and reason. I hobbled the car back to the Front Street Mission.”

“I sent my aunt and uncle a message that I’d be coming down. They gave me the dock number and their son Chris’ contact information. I called Chris and he started crying. He told me it was cold the night before. Jack and Tina had turned their boat’s heating system on. It malfunctioned and they asphyxiated in their sleep. The boat caught on fire. It took me a while, standing there and listening, until it occurred to me that I would have been aboard that boat if my brake line didn’t blow. Everything I did to get out of Boise failed. It was out of my power. You get older and you see these little miracles. People say they’re lucky, that wasn’t luck. Luck doesn’t even come into it. It wasn’t my turn.”

What are some of the major factors that led you to being un-housed?

“Stupidity, the loss of my family and my wife led to poor choices on my part. Like I said, I had a lot of anger and lost my job. My children are grown up. They still live in Iowa. My oldest son has offered to give me a home but that’s his family now. I raised him to be out of the house alone. I could go back to my family but I have a son because I don’t impose my beliefs on him.”

“I do not impose my problems on my family. I’ll seek their guidance. Sometimes they help me sometimes they don’t. I don’t want to wear out my welcome. If I have to live out in the timber, I’ll do it. They demand that I stay in contact with them. They want to know if I am still alive. I didn’t raise my son to take care of his father. I brought my kids into this world to be self-sufficient and they’re doing well by themselves. I talk to my children and grandkids almost every day.”

What is a typical day like for you?

“My days are filled with looking for work. I log on to multiple sites with job postings. I update my resume. Sometimes I get work. When I’m low on physical cash, I’m not afraid to fly a sign. The first time I did that was back in 1989. I ate a lot of crow that day. I made $26. I don’t like to sit there with my hat in my hand and ask for money. I was raised on a farm where we learned to work to earn our way. I did that since I was 12. Working is engrained into me.”

What is your dream?

“My goal is to provide a roof over my head by myself. I want to get a small sail boat, maybe 26 feet long. I’ve done that kind of work before. I know how to sail. If the jobs don’t pan out I can pull up my anchor move from one marina to another. At the shelter you have to get up at 6 o’clock. You can’t sleep in, not even if you’re sick you can’t sleep in. You have to share a bathroom with a bunch of other people and some don’t care about hygiene. You can’t cook there. There are rules and most of them make sense. If you don’t like it, you’re always welcome to leave. But getting my own place on my own terms would be fantastic.”

What do you want the community to know about homelessness?

“People should know about the despair. There is a lot of despair but there are also a lot of people who turn that despair into action. They get housing and they’ve moved on. There are others who are die-hard campers. They will move up into the mountains further and further and live there 24/7. My hat is off to them. I wish I knew half as much as they do.”

“Don’t be afraid to go up to us and talk. Don’t be afraid to offer us a job, whatever that means. You’d be amazed that you’ll get some honest people. We homeless don’t have a lot but what we have, we guard. 9 times out of 10 your property is safer with us than it is with most other people.”

Volunteer/Staff Spotlight: Debbie Roe

 

Debbie Roe has just started as Swing Shift Manager for Interfaith Sanctuary. Before that, she was a volunteer for Sanctuary. Debbie is in the criminal justice program at Boise State. I sat down with her and had a chance to get to learn more about her experience both as a volunteer and as a new staff member. I am thankful for the opportunity.

1. How did you first get involved with Interfaith Sanctuary and why did you continue?

“I started out in a learning service class. I had to take some time off because of family responsibility but started up again because of another service learning class. This time it was a little bit different. It was the right timing I guess. It really got to my conscience. I wondered why I hadn’t been aware of it before and I don’t know what it really is. I guess it’s the full impact of what Sanctuary means. That had a far greater impact on me the second time around. It had bothered me that on my own I wasn’t aware that homelessness was such an issue in the community. I fell in love with Sanctuary. This time it was far more personal.”

“I fell in love with the people and wondered how I could not help. At the end of the day you get a far bigger reward than what you give. They are such a great group of people and misjudged by the community. You just see one side and that’s the exterior. You don’t see the interior. That’s what you get when you volunteer, you get to see the interior. That’s where the reward comes in. These are some phenomenal people and how would you know? I get to meet them and serve them in some way. I get to make a portion of their day a little better. I have always felt that you gain more in life from sharing. There is more to life than letting it go by and just staying inside your bubble. If you don’t explore these opportunities you miss a whole realm of possibilities. I’ve seen others care for people and those people were close to me. Sometimes we get so caught up in our problems, we miss that others have something maybe far greater going on their lives. You go help somebody else and it does good for you and for somebody else. It forces you to look at things differently.”

2. What do you think of your new surroundings?

“I like that everybody can go to Sanctuary. It’s not based on your religion or who you are. They just welcome people and ask how they can help. There are so many different kinds of people who work and volunteer there. That to me is fantastic. There is a camaraderie that binds them all together. They may have their disagreements but they stand behind one another. That’s refreshing. Being there makes you focus on what’s really important. I think you become a better person overall. You become more aware of your neighbors and how life affects everybody around you.”

“When I’m doing the check in, it’s like my kids are coming home. I want to know they’re healthy and doing alright. I try to ask guests how their day is going. I want them to know that someone cares. I think they all crave that a little bit. I always try to make it more personal. It’s my personal time with them. It bonds you together. It makes the connection real for everybody. I feel a strong mother instinct there. I want the best for them. I want to help them and to make sure they don’t have to go through life alone. I’m there in the moment and I’m going to make it’s the best night I can for all of us. I hope they feel that. I hope they can get the sense that it’s not about a paycheck, it’s about them.”

3. In a general sense, why this line of work?

“I think that, personally, the community in general misjudges people. They overlook the things that happen in their lives that trip them up. They think it’s all drugs or alcohol. That’s a narrow-minded perspective. They don’t realize that it could happen to any of us at any given moment. We have seen it happen to more and more people but they don’t put themselves there. I think it is a big issue. I don’t know why there is not more attention to it. I don’t fully understand why the community doesn’t step up and realize that the facilities are not there to fully help someone. Incarceration doesn’t cure someone’s drinking problem. When you talk to people and hear their stories, reality hits you and it’s often heartbreaking.”

“There is so much pain. It makes me more aware of what I would do. Society sees people in their current state but there is much more to the story. Sometimes it’s too much at one time. Things aren’t always what they seem. I think that we can become judgmental and we can get a misconception about what it means to be homeless. It requires so much effort and time to get housing and a job. That’s a big mountain to climb. It’s got to be so frustrating to try and surmount that. They don’t know where to start and the resources just are not there.”

“It’s a lengthy process and I think you can get beat down. You can get to the point of believing that a better life really isn’t going to happen. It’s very hard to really get a second chance. I think a lot of people would make it if they had a second chance. I hope that people know the good qualities of this segment of our community. There is a preconception of what homelessness means and I think a lot of the time that’s wrong.”

By Barry Franklin, PR Team Writer

Intern Goes the Extra Mile to Raise Funds for Interfaith Sanctuary

In just a few short weeks, on April 21, the highly anticipated 35th Annual Race to Robie Creek or, more commonly known as the “Toughest Race in the Northwest” will gather more than 2000 individuals to run the 13.1 miles to the finish. Bradley Bogdan will do it in hopes of benefiting homeless members of our community. Bogdan is the Supportive Services Intern for Interfaith Sanctuary Housing Services- a Boise shelter that has served the needs of the homeless since 2005.

Interfaith Sanctuary is seeking sponsorships in support of Brad’s run to continue sheltering the 150+ men, women, and children Sanctuary serves each night. Bogdan is in his final year of a Masters of Social Work program at Boise State University. He spends roughly 30 hours per week in his internship at Interfaith Sanctuary assisting guests with the kinds of needs someone may experience while homeless – from replacing a lost ID, to the endless search for affordable housing placements, or dealing with substance abuse issues.

Bogdan has been running competitively since the 8th grade and was offered a spot with Cornell University’s Cross Country Team. He was then offered a spot with the Boise State Cross Country Squad, after he became the 5th fastest 10k runner in Cornell’s history with a time of 30:39. In anticipation of the Race to Robie Creek, Bogdan has been gaining an appreciation for the Boise area trails while training over 100 miles per week. His previous wins include the Midnight Marathon 50k event in Rachel, Nevada and the 2011 Zeitgeist Half Marathon here in Boise. With this impressive background, he just might have what it takes to add the Race to Robie Creek to his wins!!!!!!

How can you help?

1. Make a pledge of $10.00 (or more) to support Brad’s run for Interfaith Sanctuary. A $10.00 pledge will provide a night of overnight shelter and supportive services for one individual. Pledges can be made on our website via Network for Good. Please indicate “Race to Robie Creek” in the designation section.

2. Contribute $25.00 – this includes your $10.00 pledge providing a night of shelter and services and an Interfaith Sanctuary T-shirt featuring  our mural logo for $15.00 to wear on April 21 when you cheer Brad on along the race route. You can pay one of two ways; on-line (see instructions above) or stop by Interfaith Sanctuary’s development office at 1020 W. Main St., Suite 100 E with your pledge. T-shirts can be picked up at the same location the week of April 16th.

All are welcome to help support Brad! An Interfaith Sanctuary cheering section is gathering at the SE corner of Shaw Mountain (the race route) and E. Table Rock at 11:00am on April 21. Enter the neighborhood off of Warm Springs Ave. and park as you can on E. Table Rock. Wear your Interfaith Sanctuary T-shirt and gather under the Interfaith Sanctuary banner to cheer Brad on at the start of the race! Call the office at 343-4160 to sign-up.

If you would like to know more about other development opportunities at Interfaith Sanctuary, please contact Share Maack, Development Director at 343-4160 or share@interfaithsanctuary.org.

2012 State of Idaho Point-in-Time Count Report

The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds local homeless assistance and prevention networks called Continuums of Care (CoCs). In addition to organizing, delivering and reporting on housing and services for people who are experiencing homelessness, CoCs are required to complete a one-night Point-In-Time (PIT) count of all homeless persons at least once every two years during the last ten days in January.

On January 25, 2012 Idaho’s two Continuums of Care conducted the 8th annual statewide PIT Count. The data from this count helps determine the amount of funding awarded for homeless programs across the state, as well as to help understand the changes in trends among the homeless populations and raise public awareness of homelessness. Data from the one-night PIT count and the longitudinal data collected by the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) are the primary sources used to measure the progress in meeting the national strategic goal of preventing and ending homelessness.

 

2012 Point-in-Time Count Report Highlights

• 1968 total unsheltered and sheltered individuals and households statewide. Region 7 (Ada County) represented 38% of the state totals followed by Region 1 (Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai, Shoshone counties) at 22%.
• In Ada County, 754 individuals and households were reported to be homeless on the night of January 25. Of this number, 53 were unsheltered and 701 were sheltered. Of the 754 included in this report, 69% were male and 31% female. 43% were between the ages of 31-50; 16 % were children under 18. 18% were veterans and 13% were victims of domestic violence.

The official numbers for the Point-in-Time Count Report do not include any data on the “Precariously Housed” which HUD defines as people on the edge of becoming literally homeless, who may be doubled up with friends or relatives, in a treatment facility or staying in a hotel or motel. During the Point-in-Time Count approximately 58% of those surveyed throughout the state indicated that this was their situation on the night of the count.

Read the full report….

Meet Sanctuary’s Development Staff

Situated in a tiny office off West Main Street in Boise, two women perform a vital role for Interfaith Sanctuary. They take an abstract set of ideas and bring them together. Like a puzzle, a picture begins to form and the results are integral to the operation of Interfaith Sanctuary, and the perpetuation of this important organization.

Share Maack
Development Director

Share Maack and Amelia Valasek are the development staff for Interfaith Sanctuary. Their work is not glamorous. Yet, there is an immediacy about it that cannot be ignored. Both believe what they do has a direct and positive affect on their community. This is why they do it. Sitting in the Alaska Center, Sanctuary’s home for administrative offices, I talk with Maack and Valasek. As we begin to unravel the importance of development, I am struck by their selfless demeanors. Both shrug off their work as if anyone could do it. They talk only about the importance of outcomes while they dismiss offhand any self-importance that may be attributed to those outcomes.

“I am Sanctuary’s first ever Development Director,” Share Maack says. “The Board saw a need to increase and focus their development activity.” Development, she tells me, is the identification of resources. More important though is what that information implies. “We want to get to know our donors,” Maack says. Development is about building relationships, fostering them and allowing them to flourish. “The concept is that every once in a while we will get a rather large donation from someone we don’t really know.” This elicits a strong emotion in Maack and Valasek. They believe it’s important to respond and form a relationship with donors because each donor has responded to some internal mechanism. Maack tells me each person or group gives for a different reason. Some give financially and that is critical to Sanctuary’s general operating budget. Others want a more visceral experience. “It’s great to have someone offer something we don’t have,” Maack says. “I’m thankful that our donors have stuck with us.”

Amelia Valasek
Development & Fiscal Assistant

Amelia Valasek conducts research about which databases would be best for an organization of Sanctuary’s type and size. She analyzes what is given by donors, and how often they are giving. “This information is useful when we want to build relationships,” says Valasek. “I build a picture from all these pieces of information.” The picture is of utmost importance. Valasek left a life of science to pursue what she felt was more important. “I wanted to feel connected with the world around me. I needed to feel like my work had a more immediate affect,” she says. Valasek comes from a technological background and since, has focused on better ways to communicate complex information.

Sanctuary’s Board of Directors recently returned from their annual retreat where they approved the 2012 development plan for the organization. Key focuses for the year include expanding and deepening the supportive services program, and completing essential renovations. A well-designed space that supports guests to create a better life is a major goal. “We want to get more people engaged on the path to a healthful life. Those are Ed Keener’s [Board President] words and I appreciate them because I feel they are clear,” Maack says. This year’s development plan focuses on expanding outreach to faith-based organizations. Local houses of worship were and still are a major part of why Sanctuary exists. However, there are many more faith-based organizations in the community that need to know about the shelter and how they can engage their congregations in this essential work.

Share Maack’s whole life has been geared toward non-profit work. “When I was in college I saw a poster that said you can’t pull yourself up by the bootstraps when you have no bootstraps. That sentiment has been around for a long time,” she says. She feels that social consciousness is an important part of being a civil society. “Our work is such an elemental need.”

When asked to draw a picture about what is important, most people will first draw a house. Mom, dad and the rest of the family live in that house and grow together. The need for shelter is an integral part of being alive. The idea that there are people in the community like Share and Amelia comforts me. They are leaders in creating the right kind of social consciousness. One where the well-being of the people in our community is a common concern for all.

By Barry Franklin,

PR Team Writer Interfaith Sanctuary

Out of Reach: 2012

In Idaho, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $665.  In order to afford this level of rent and utilities – without paying more than 30% of income on housing – a household must earn $2,218 monthly or $26,615 annually.  Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $12.80.

A minimum wage worker in Idaho earns an hourly wage of $7.25. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 71 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or a household must include 1.8 minimum wage earners working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two-bedroom FMR affordable.

Out of Reach, a report produced by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, is a side-by-side comparison of wages and rents in every county, Metropolitan Area, combined nonmetropolitan area and state in the United States. For each jurisdiction, the report calculates the amount of money a household must earn in order to afford a rental unit in a range of sizes (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms) at the area’s Fair Market Rent (FMR), based on the generally accepted affordability standard of paying no more than 30% of income for housing costs. From these calculations the hourly wage a worker must earn to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom home is derived. This figure is the Housing Wage.

Out of Reach 2012 demonstrates that a mismatch exists between the cost of living, the availability of rental assistance and the wages people earn day to day across the country. The Housing Wage consistently exceeds the actual wages earned by renters, in both urban and rural communities nationwide.

With more households choose renting over homeownership, the demand for affordably priced rental housing is surging, pushing rents upward and vacancy rates down. These trends have the most severe implications for extremely low income households (those earning at or below 30% of area median income). Out of Reach 2012 findings show that for extremely low income Americans, including those on fixed incomes, finding an affordable, decent apartment continues to be incredibly challenging.

Read more…

FY 2012 Fair Market Rents

2012 Two-Bedroom Housing Wage

Idaho Report 

Volunteer Spotlight: Frankie Rosera and Russ Winson

When Jayne Sorrels, Executive Director of Interfaith Sanctuary, asked for Volunteer Spotlight suggestions from the staff, Operations Director, Dan Ault thought of Russ and Frankie. I spoke to him over the phone and asked him why.

“What I like most about the two of them is that they’re always in a good mood. They’re always happy,” Dan said. On a nightly basis, when Sanctuary opens, guests must check in. They line up and say their name to a volunteer who checks them off of a list compiled of people who have spent the night in the past. Frankie is often that volunteer. “Frankie knows most of the residents by first name and that’s key.”

“Everything they do is totally selfless,” said Dan. “When we come in, they automatically set the place up.” The dining area in Sanctuary consists of folding picnic style tables and folding chairs that need to be put into place each night. “Frankie cleans out and sanitizes the [front] desk. She makes herself right at home,” Dan said.

Throughout the evening, guests at Sanctuary can move from inside to outside. There is an area in the parking lot where guests can visit with one another. A volunteer is assigned to watch over this area and helps where needed. Russ is usually that volunteer. “Whenever something is going on outside, Russ is always there. If I need a trash bag, I swear he is right there standing behind me. He reminds me of that guy on a construction site who is always ten steps ahead,” Dan told me. He then went on to say, “Russ and Frankie are so subtle about being the most wonderful people in the world. They provide so much more than what’s expected.”

Introducing Russ and Frankie

Russ Winson and Frankie Rosera are soft spoken. They say only what they need to. It is refreshing to talk with them. As we sit in Frankie’s family home in South Boise, I feel as though I am with friends. It did not take long for me know I can trust the two folks across the circular table from me.

“My father built this house,” Frankie says. The ranch style home, built in the 1950s, is in stark contrast with the rest of the neighborhood. It is reminiscent of what seems like a more genuine time. There are large trees surrounding the Rosera’s modest piece of land bordered by a well-kept brown wooden fence. The house is partially brick, strong and sturdy. “We used to own more land. When dad sold most of it, they said there would be no multi-family homes,” Frankie says. She then points out the window toward a group of apartment buildings across the street. “They just went ahead and rezoned it, then built those,” she says.

Russ drives an old Ford pickup. I can tell this vehicle was well used over the years. The exterior has a few scratches and there may be a dent here and there. However, it is immediately apparent that like the man, this pickup has more to it than the eye can see. The engine purrs as he glides up to the front of the house without a squeak from the brakes. On entering the home, he says a quiet hello with a firm handshake.

The Interview

1. Why do you volunteer at the shelter?

Russ: “I volunteer because I like to meet people. I don’t care if they’re homeless, if they’re wealthy or rich. I just want to meet them and see how they’re doing. People are people. It doesn’t matter if they’re red, black, green or yellow. Everyone should try it once, just to see what it is like, what [guests] are going through. For the experience.”

Frankie: “We ended up starting to volunteer on a trial basis. Now it’s five years later and here we are. I felt a little bit of trepidation at first. But I really believe that everyone is just not that far away from being homeless and you never know what your fortune is going to be. We want to change someone else’s world for the better. I like understanding [the guests] and finding out about their hopes and dreams for the future.”

Russ: “You’re just one paycheck away from being there. It’s the way the economy is going right now. You see a lot of people on the corner. A lot of buildings that are empty where jobs used to be.”

Frankie: “I’ve wanted to see a need and fill it. It makes you feel good you know, after leaving there after you’ve helped.”

Russ: “If you listen to their stories, where they’ve been and what they have to deal with. It can be pretty sad at times. It feels good to help. We just listen and understand and try to take it one step at a time.”

Frankie: “We started when it was in the old library. It’s interesting to talk to the people. I feel really sad for the kids who are in this situation. From the first time I started doing it, I said this is something I could do to help. It’s not a religious thing. For me, it’s part of being human. At a particular time it means being there to give someone moral support.”

2. What are your impressions of Interfaith Sanctuary?

Frankie: “It’s wonderful to think that the community has gotten together to house people that have nowhere else to go. We donate money and other items that we think they can use. It’s really well run. [The staff] are artists at doing what needs to be done.

Russ: “They have a [canopy] in the back that acts as a kind of smoking area. They can get under there and get out of the cold or the sun.”

Frankie: “The beds that they have are great. It’s wonderful families can spend time in a safe comfortable place. If someone is hungry there’s something for them to eat. I think that’s nice. Some people think they are going to be at some risk going down to Sanctuary. I think the people are appreciative you care. I’ve never had a problem.”

3. What are your impressions of homelessness in general?

Russ: “Scary, you can be just a paycheck away from being homeless. When you get out on the street, what do you do? Where do you go? You can go to a place like Interfaith Sanctuary and they will set you up for a night but what beyond that? It could be anybody. You can be flat broke in a minute.”

Frankie: “It’s kind of hard to imagine being in a situation where you don’t have family to look out for you, to be totally without resources. [Depending on who is elected in the upcoming presidential election] I think resources will be hard to come by. And they are already hard to come by. There won’t be the social programs to help them out. Churches can only do so much. The deadlock in Washington now is so frustrating. The chances we are losing make me sad. I think we should get somebody in there who cares about others.”

- Barry Franklin, Sanctuary PR Team Writer

Circle of Friends: A Volunteer Opportunity to help shelter guests who are moving into housing!

Currently at Sanctuary, we have approximately six individuals/families who are preparing to move into housing! To offer them the support they will need to be successful, we are launching the next Circle of Friends, a mentoring program that has been offered at Sanctuary since 2009.The task of transitioning into housing is much greater than moving a few items into an apartment, especially for those who’ve been on the streets for any length of time. The culture and lifestyle of homelessness has lasting effects that often cause a recently housed person or family to fail in the efforts to leave the streets. Often, our shelter guests do not have the skills to balance a checkbook, have poor boundaries with those who may intentionally or unintentionally jeopardize their housing, or have no social contacts outside of the world of homelessness. This is where the role of a Circle of Friends mentor comes in. The mentor is available to assist in completing rental applications, to reintroduce the concept of eating in a restaurant, to manage bills, to be a dependable shoulder when it looks like everything might fall apart.

The Circle of Friends is comprised of 6-8 volunteers who work together as mentors and support circle members under the direction of Sanctuary’s Supportive Services Director who manages the client’s plan.  Training and support is offered on an on-going basis to COF volunteers.

Informational Meeting: Wednesday, March 28 from 5:30 – 7 pm at Boise First Congregational United Church of Christ (2201 W. Woodlawn Ave.). Pre-registration required. Light food/refreshments will be served.

Volunteer Profile:

• Some experience working with individuals who are homeless
• Recommendation from a shelter or social services provider
• Various available hours during the daytime, weekends, some evenings (note that volunteers have the option of selecting their available times)
• Own transportation
• Email (essential)
• Must agree to a background check
• 6-month minimum commitment

Application Process:

Volunteers who are interested in attending the informational meeting should RSVP by email to Jayne Sorrels, Executive Director by Monday, March 26 (jayne@interfaithsanctuary.org). After the informational session, interested volunteers will submit an application to participate.

Spotlight: Energizing Minds!

Trudy Cressy and I walk from the main building of Interfaith Sanctuary to Corpus Christi House across the alleyway. She’s a brisk walker. I struggle to keep up and take notes at the same time. “Activity night was started because we saw the need to support the kids’ learning and development,” Cressy says. “They need every opportunity to learn and grow.”

The kids she refers to are the children of parents who are currently at Sanctuary. Activity night happens on Tuesdays and the children are excited about it. I heard them buzzing around the building, constantly asking Trudy when it will start. We step into Corpus and a group has already begun to form.

“We changed the name of activity night from just Energizing Minds to Energizing Minds Zone so the older kids would think it’s cooler,” says Cressy with a slight grin. She’s good natured and even the older kids appreciate her. Tables are set up throughout the space, each highlighting a different activity. Each activity is different. One has an apple peeler with measuring tape to see how long they can get their apple skins. Another table is set with paper sacks to decorate. There is a table with Play-Doh and another with different varieties of apples for apple tasting. The kids are to pull on a blindfold and taste an apple wedge, then guess what kind of apple is in their mouth.

The room is simple but full. A group of volunteers dot the place and one oversees each station. They come from different backgrounds – high school, Boise State, and AmeriCorps VISTA. There are also individuals here from the Boise community. The volunteers’ backgrounds may be different but they all share a common goal, to give the kids a good time. Their kindness is comforting.

Cressy tells me they try to work on social skills, “The kids learn to play with each other. It gives them a break from their challenging lives and a sense that they are not alone.” Volunteers from Sanctuary teamed with Booth Memorial Education Center to start Energizing Minds Zone. Cressy, along with other volunteers, endeavors to expand educational boundaries with open-ended materials.

“We do things that are fun and challenging and we try to give them a variety,” Cressy explains. She says the Science Department from Boise State comes around once in a while to facilitate an activity. They even had a beekeeper come in and do a presentation. They encourage a love of learning and positive relationships with each other. “I think the parents welcome the break too,” says Cressy.

To begin, volunteers and children gather around while Cressy reads a story. All gasp and giggle when she reads a scary part. They listen and they smile. Their identities dissolve until the group before me is simply comprised of kids enjoying each other and the learning process.

As the children begin the activities, I roam around the room and ask a few what they think of the whole thing. One says he loves that there are always a lot of activities and he loves his friends. Another little girl says activity night is always a surprise because it’s different every time. The fun is wholesome. It is a break from lives filled with hardships I do not understand. Yet, the smile on each face is encouraging. Perhaps the future for these children will change for the better.

- Barry Franklin is a PR Team Writer for Interfaith Sanctuary.

Photo:

Top Row: Lucy Hanson, Trudy Cressy (Family Strengthening Program Volunteer Coordinator/ Sanctuary Board Member), David Boucher, Whitney Dowton, Phoenix Humes, Johnny Lucero
Bottom Row: Johnny Frix, Allie Beaker, Abbey Dermody