By Holly Gardner, Intake Specialist
I’m always amazed at the many community supports intertwined
with the day-to-day business we do at Community LINC and how we strive to fill
the voids the best we can while we serve our families. This winter I was
privileged to meet Michelle at Giving the Basics and coordinate services so we
could have onsite, personal care items for our families. This includes
shampoo, body wash, feminine necessities and many other products. While
speaking with Michelle it was hard to imagine living without these items. Her
enthusiasm was contagious as she spoke of the void families often experienced
while homeless and how her agency was determined to fill that void by
partnering with social service agencies like ours. Yes, families have
access to food pantries and there are agencies that provide clothing but it
could be hit and miss when it comes to providing basic self-care needs. This
could be stressful and embarrassing for people to even ask for such items.
There is a lot of work to do in a rapid re-housing program. Employment
is a priority and many of the day-to-day tasks our families have on their plate
require meeting new people and trying to make the best impressions they
can. We call it building relationships, building bridges back to
self-sufficiency – a very important aspect of our program. Sometimes our
families struggle with self- care as it has been off their priority list as
they are busy trying to survive the day-to-day. At Community LINC we
encourage our families to put some focus back on self-care and encourage them
to look and feel their best on their journey. What a beautiful way to offer
dignity and respect in a very tangible way by connecting a person with “the
basics” again.
On the Giving the Basics brochure a striking picture of a
man’s profile sitting in a chair wearing soiled clothing, you can obviously
tell he makes a living with his hands. The caption says, “I can’t get a job
because I’m dirty.” Beneath that reads, “Did you know food stamps don’t
cover the basics, like shampoo or laundry soap? Please donate
generously-everyone deserves a fresh start.”
To better assist our families we have an area set up in our
donation basement, designated just for this so parents can look over the items and
pick what they would like to have. The positivity I see and feel is sometimes
overwhelming and I have to wonder if a person feels better stepping out their
door to take care of business with a little less worry they may just land that
next job, build new relationships, secure housing for their children. We
thank our partnering agencies for helping us provide the basics, including
these very simple yet profoundly life affirming dignity items. And yes it takes
all these small things to make a fresh start.
