Josh: Service-Learning Log 1--Project Homeless Connect 6

Still half asleep at 8:30 in the morning, we were put in a line formation as the intense bright sun shone down on us. I remember feeling unusually nervous, anxious for what was about to happen. As the first bus arrived, a frenzy of people headed for us and I really could not tell how it was all going to be organized. Within a matter of seconds another volunteer motioned for me to step forward and I was paired up with to women. As I introduced myself Christine and Eunice, I was instantly struck by how happy and positive they were as they looked toward their experience that day. We sat down for breakfast and began going over the services that were being offered and which ones they might want to access. Eunice seemed to know exactly what she wanted, needing only to visit three areas at the maximum. Christine on the other hand was interested in just about everything, wanting to stop wherever she could. It was at this point that we decided to split the two up to better assist them and another volunteer arrived to help Eunice.

After stopping at several of the vendor tables in the long corridor that parallels Magness Arena, we made our way to Gates Fieldhouse where we quickly saw just how chaotic this experience might be. I was taken back by the overwhelming number of people and seemingly never ending lines. Christine on the other hand just advanced as if she was totally used to this and headed for the housing section to get a number in line.

With many numbers to go before our turn we had time to check out some other tables. We went to the DMV table to try to replace Christine’s suspended California license. We spoke to a lawyer about complications stemming from her Divorce. Christine registered for the Work Force and the completed an interview workshop in the hopes of gaining access to the job fair.

After only an hour, we had already been to many of the areas in the gym. What I began to notice however, was that we left each section not with concrete assistance, but a seemingly ever-growing stack of papers and forms, that would supposedly lead to Christine getting help in the future.

Housing was probably the clearest example of this as instead of receiving some kind of voucher or ticket to a transitional housing facility, we left with only a list of these developments and their phone numbers. Ambitious as she was, Christine and I managed to speak with someone from probably about 75% of the services offered that day. She had no problem cutting lines to get the front and seemed to be very skilled at this as well. Throughout she remained happy and positive, never visibly discouraged when she was not able to get the help she needed. I found this particularly remarkable.

By 2:00 pm having done what she came to do, Christine and I met back up with Eunice and they got on their bus which brought them back to their shelter, Samaritan House. I walked away and looked down at my clipboard and realized that I had been so involved in conversation with her the whole day that I had barely filled in any of my clipboard. I left the gym and walked to my dorm with many different emotions running through my head as I tried to reflect on the experience.

This experience was most definitely an eye-opening one for me. One big reason was that if I passed either Christine or Eunice on the street I don’t think I would have any idea that they were homeless. In talking with Christine throughout the day, I realized just how easy it could be to become homeless. A divorce coupled with unemployment and a slowing job market was enough to cause her to reach her current state. While I had realized before that many of the stereotypes were not accurate, it wasn’t until this experience that I realized just how wrong they were.

While I was excited to be a part of this project, I feel that there is much that could be done to improve it by offering more immediate on site assistance to the homeless, instead of just handing out paper. It is my hope that in the future as I continue my involvement I will see the implementation of these changes.