Think Happy!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I have the best job in the world! Today is a typical Thursday, busy, crazy, noisy and crowded; and yet, somehow it works out and feels homey around here. When I wander out to the buzzing waiting room, I find laughter, teasing and sharing of resources and information. I ask if we are having a party and I get lots of smiles in return. It probably helps that at this time of year, we are blessed with extra goodies to share in the waiting area—people bring us candy, cookies, oranges—and that makes everyone smile. I am always amazed at the patience my clients share with each other and the “system”.

On Monday mornings, our waiting room becomes the “morning after” football discussion and critique. Our clients are huge Seahawks fans and we wear our colors proudly! When the occasional Bears or Cowboys fan wanders in, the teasing begins, but we all have fun with the whole subject. I wish the Seahawks could see how much they mean to those with little else to brighten their days.

So what’s the point? The point is that Hope House is family to those who need our services. We are a place where people feel valued and welcome. We are a community within our greater community and we are proud of it! Our clients love coming in and being greeted by name, they like that we know who their children are and what they are up to. They love the teasing and laughter they find to go give them armor to face the rest of their day.

At this time of year, to borrow a phrase, “Hope House is one of the happiest places on earth!”

A Grace Filled Day

A couple of days ago, I had what I call a “grace” day at Hope House. What is a grace day, you might ask? I love my job so much because, hello, I get to give to those in need!!! How much more blessed than that can you get at work? At any rate, a “grace” day is one in which the rewards are particularly obvious. Here are the rewards I received the other day:

·         First in was a young woman who has not been here for a couple of years. She could be my daughter, and her story was so sad. She has gone from being housed with her husband and children to being homeless and alone. She cried and said it hurt to be here when the last time she was in, she was so much happier. I can tell she is working on getting back to that life, but she told me that our support has always been vital to her and her family.

·         A regular client brought in a t-shirt with a beautiful faith message printed on the front—he said the message described me for him! So sweet.

·          A man fresh out of prison was so incredibly grateful for new clothing and hygiene items to start his job search.

·         And finally, there was Gracie. An adorable, intelligent and articulate little 4 year old charmer. She absolutely brought sunshine into Hope House. Gracie lives in a car with her mom and dad, who are keeping things bright for her while they find work.

All in all, a wonderful, fulfilling day at Hope House! As I always say—I love my job!

Little Things....

I can’t believe it has been almost a year since we opened in our beautiful new building! This place has been a blessing to so many people in our community, and so much of what we do is dependent on the support of our wonderful part of the world.

Sometimes it is one of the little things we do that causes the most joy to one of our clients. For instance, we allow homeless individuals to have their mail sent here until they find housing. Many of them are expecting new ID cards, birth certificates, etc., so this is a worthwhile service, no matter how much of a hassle it can be (some people only check their mail once every 6 months or so!). At least once per week, you can hear me threatening to discontinue this program due to the time it takes.

But then, you get a day like today. I was swamped with work on my computer, many voices calling my name for questions, etc.---in other words; a typical Friday! When a small, quiet young woman came to my office door to ask if she had any mail, I sighed and started searching through the stack. When I found the one, hand written envelope with her name on it, she teared up and held it close to her chest. Turns out her husband is in jail, and she is homeless herself—the only way he can communicate with her is through the letters he sends to her care of Hope House. She is so appreciative, and I am so contrite to realize how much something that irritates me just makes her day.

The little things—or maybe not so little?

Full of the Spirit

It’s been a lovely morning here at Hope House! Everyone is all smiles at the sunshine, no one is cranky or loud. Then there is this:

A client comes in to intake and announces that he now has an address. His smile is huge and he is so thankful for Theresa Meurs, who not only works at the Opportunity Council in the Homeless Service Center, but also volunteers on Mondays at Hope House. He states that it is because of Theresa that he is in housing after an extended period of homelessness—his joy is palpable and contagious.

Into the intake office walks one of our faithful elderly donors with a question about what we need—while this client is still in there. He offers admiration for her large cross necklace and they have the most touching moment contemplating the Holy Spirit together

……

Where else can you work that offers daily evidence and influence of the Holy Spirit? Love, love, love my job!

The most valuable thing at Hope House is.....

Recently, I needed to find a “bright spot” in the past year for a major funding source. Here is what came from my heart:

Trying to find one bright spot in a year like this last year is almost impossible. We demolished our old building, spent several months working out of our shed down the alley and finally opened up in our bright, shiny new building. So where do I start?

How about with a common denominator in all of these—our volunteer staff. When we were getting ready to close down in the old building, they worked like troopers to sort, pack and carry goods/donations to appropriate resting places. Their common sense and discriminating taste helped make the process quicker. When we had to downsize our staffing because we were in the shed, they hung in there and worked when needed, even in the cold and heat!

But the true value of these wonderful people, many of whom are retired and elderly, came when it was time to prepare and “load in” in the new building. Thanks to a generous grant from a local foundation, we were able to completely furnish the new Hope House with new racks, bins, shelving, desks, chairs, etc. Expecting a massive delivery from the store we bought from, and anticipating a week’s worth of hard work, I scheduled us to be closed for one week right before opening day.

Having told the staff I would be there every day from 9-3 and to come when they could, I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly didn’t expect for almost every single volunteer to show up almost every day. Many came every day, all day, until we were done. The work was hard and physical, and yet, there were no complaints. Not only did they help unpack, put together and set up the furnishings, they helped to decide where the best placement was for each piece.

 I cannot say how much this show of support and love from my beloved volunteers meant to me. It was truthfully the brightest spot in the past year for me! Without this wonderful staff, we would have no Hope House. Truly, my greatest treasure at Hope House is my awesome staff.

Home of the Cookie Monster(s)

Part of what makes Hope House so welcoming to our clients is our long time practice of offering coffee and cookies in our waiting room. So welcome on cold days! One of my front desk staff commented recently that she is pretty sure many of our clients are “eating breakfast” at Hope House, lol! We love making the smallest contribution to a better day with whatever it takes. So, needless to say, we go through a LOT of cookies.

Last week, we had a day where we were out of cookies---once in a while it happens. I scrounged some graham crackers out of our food bag area and we were trying to make do. However, God always has different ideas for us—we call them “Godshots”---direct, inspired divine assistance to a need as it happens.

So, I am working on paperwork in my office, which is centrally located with multiple windows (my own little fishbowl), when I hear someone saying, “I need to see Cheri”. From the window to the warehouse, a parishioner appears with a gallon baggie of fresh homemade cookies—oatmeal with butterscotch chips, to be exact! She is sharing them with us on this day when we need them most. Godshot! I can’t tell you how good they were and how appreciated by all of our clients. I love my job……

Join our cookie brigade and have a baking party—we’ll take care of the eating. J