Shelters Offer Respite and Hope

by Shannon Moriarty

Published October 30, 2008 @ 09:20AM PT

Our sick economy has everyone worried. Worried about our 401Ks, worried about paying for oil this winter, worried about our future financial stability. 

These are difficult, uncertain times. But imagine you've already lost everything. Imagine you rely on an emergency shelter each night for a warm, safe place to sleep and a soup kitchen for nourishment. This is all you have left to lose. And during rough economic times, it may seem like a real possibility.

As the temperatures drop and the lines for food and shelter grow longer everyday, those affected by homelessness are even more fearful about meeting their most basic needs. One of my favorite blogs, Street Roots (named for Portland's street newspaper), re-posted a great story by Sally Martin, who works at an organization that provides services for homeless people in Portland. As the DOW has tumbled, she's noticed a rise in anxiety among those seeking services: 

Because of the recent financial crisis, Americans from all different income brackets are grasping the reality that folks in our neighborhood have been facing for months: times are tough. This has been the reality for anyone who visited The Downtown Chapel for a food box this summer when, during the food shortage, we were extremely low on basics like rice and cereal. And the reality for any of the 90 people who visited our Hospitality Center this morning - normally the first few days of the month we see no more than 60 guests. In times like these, our challenge as a community becomes this: How do we call each other to a place of hope rather than fear?

It's a great question. Shelters across the country are anxious about budget cuts and meeting the needs of hurting people in our communities. If the service-providers are worried, then the fear among those in need of services must be profound. 

Martin explains that to alleviate her anxieties, she only has to look as far as the people she's serving to find inspiration and hope. She describes the extraordinarily acts of selflessness and caring she's witnessed among those who seem to be suffering the worst:

To me, it is nothing short of a miracle to witness someone who must constantly be in survival mode begin to feel comfortable again in their own skin. Even if it is just for a few short moments while their feet are being washed here in our Hospitality Center, or over a cup of coffee at Sisters Of The Road Café, or while being served a meal at Blanchet House. I am constantly blown away by the simple, yet powerful act of a person turning to hope instead of to fear, of reaching out to others around them, instead of retreating into isolation.

My heroes then become the woman who, after being assaulted and having her belongings taken from her yet again, has a smile for me when she asks me how I’m doing, and the man who shares his dinner with another who would otherwise go without, because he knows that he is just as unsure of where his next meal is coming from.

During these tough times, remember that you can be a source of hope for those in need. Check out our list 10 Actions You Can Take To End Homelessness... and feel free to share a few of your own ideas: shannon@change.org.