Central OAC

By Kimberly Parker

It’s always in this first month of the year that we tend to talk a lot about new beginnings. We hear such statements as …

“I’m going to watch what I eat.”

“I’m going to exercise more.”

“I’m going to spend more time with family or friends.”

“I’m going to cut back on my spending.”

The list goes on and on.

I also think for the past couple of years we have all started the new year believing that a new beginning was within reach, that COVID would be gone and life could go back to “normal.” We are probably realizing that this isn’t necessarily the case, but learning that we simply have to live in new ways while a pandemic continues.

At the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, we are certainly experiencing new beginnings! Two of our long-time staff members left the OAC in December so we are looking at where we are as a team and determining what we need as we move forward. Amy Kirkland has joined our team as a new Administrative Assistant. We have added two new volunteers and a new Clinical Pastoral Education intern. And we have just completed a new three year strategic plan that will guide our work over the coming months.

New beginnings are happening at the OAC and we are excited!

I believe that the services we offer at the OAC help our guests to experience new beginnings also. Think about what it would be like to not have any identification at all. Without proof of your birth or your Social Security number, it’s as if you don’t exist. Without state identification, a person cannot really do anything else. So, for our guests, it is a new beginning when one holds their birth certificate for the first time or has that all important Social Security card in their hands. It’s a fresh start or a new beginning!

I hope you will stay tuned in to Central OAC. Follow us on social media. Watch for our monthly blog posts. We are excited for new beginnings!

by Chattrelle Gillyard

The great Rumi once said that you can never become polished if you are annoyed by every rub. A career in social services is not for everyone – you always have to remain humble, be patient, and be constantly aware of your own biases. Many people who work in social services are often rubbed, challenged, or even disrespected by the population that they serve. Working with people experiencing homelessness is not any different. Working at Central Outreach and Advocacy Center I’ve definitely had my share of rubs, but I often ask myself, “Am I becoming polished?”

At Central OAC, we believe in meeting people where they are with patience and humility, and treating each person with respect and dignity. I have to remind myself that often, when a guest has an attitude, is being mean, or disrespectful it’s not usually a reflection of us or the work that we do. The guests we serve are human,  just like us: they aren’t perfect, they have bad days, and they have trauma that causes them to react defensively. In order to meet someone where they are, you have to take the bumps and the bruises that come from the rubs.  How else can you become polished?

Imagine not having a place to sleep, would you be in a bad mood? Imagine not knowing where your next meal will come from, would you have an attitude? Imagine not having access to a proper restroom at any given time in the day, would you be happy? Imagine the temperature dropping to below 40 and your sidewalk home or tent not keeping you warm, would you be easily offended? Now imagine going through all of that and trying to receive services from a social service agency, and you feel that they treat you unfairly. Many of our guests face this reality everyday so, when they arrive at our center, they aren’t in a great mood. They aren’t always respectful, and they are often frustrated. But no matter what, it is our job to treat them with dignity and respect, and to understand where they are in life at the moment. Does that make us polished?

Do you have to work at a social service agency to become polished? No way. Will you ever become completely polished? Probably not. But it is worth asking yourself a few things. Are you annoyed at every rub? Do you often get frustrated when someone gives you sass or has a bad attitude? Do you meet people where they are? Do you put your feelings to the side for the greater good? Are you quick to respond? Do you get angry quickly? How polished are you?

by Amy Kirkland

What does fall mean to you? – besides the obvious pumpkin spice everything! For me, it means counting down the days to see the leaves become glorious shades of yellow, red, and orange and then gracefully fall to the ground. Fall means evenings by the firepit enjoying some warm apple cider or mulled wine. Fall means pulling out my favorite long sleeve t-shirt or a puffy vest for those particularly chilly mornings.

But for many of our guests experiencing homelessness, the changing of the seasons means something very different.  Initially, those cool nights give some relief from the sweltering heat of the summer. However, the chill in the air soon gives way to a need for many things – many things our guests experiencing homelessness do not have the means to hold onto from season to season. Most of us take for granted the cedar chests, hall closets, and storage tubs we use to hold all the warm things we need. We just have to remember where we put those thick socks, gloves, scarves, hats, hoodies, and extra blankets in order to stay nice and cozy.  Our guests, though, are in search of all of these items as each season changes. And it’s not just about gathering up all of the items to stay warm; they are also burdened with hauling them around as the cool nights give way to warm afternoons (like the one we’re having today) as they wait for the next cool night.  Getting all of the things they need takes time and patience. Often, all that they can do is hope that there will be folks offering up all the items necessary to stay warm. Even if they find the right clothing closet or church, will there be enough? Will they be in the right place at the right time to receive these necessities?   

In my house, fall also brings about the debate as to when it’s the right time to turn off the AC and turn on the heat. We can always choose and adjust day by day to meet our desires.  For guests experiencing homelessness, though, AC and heat only exist at places they receive a meal, get services, or sleep for a night.  A shelter can seem like a simple solution to us, right? As fall turns to winter, many places open up cold weather shelters and warming stations. However, COVID caused many winter shelters to stay closed last year. Things seem to be getting better, but what will be available this season is still up in the air at many places. The weather and the elements are mostly bearable right now, but it’s certainly weighing heavily on our guests, if the places that were open in 2019 will all re-open for 2021. 

So, as you wait in line for your favorite warm fall beverage or debate over hot caramel apple cider vs. pumpkin spiced latte, practice gratitude for all of the choices you can make. Take a few moments to think about what you can do to help those experiencing homelessness feel some relief this fall.

 

by Ahren Cassinari-Foster

Almost a year and a half ago, our world was turned upside down.  The pandemic forced all of us to make changes to our daily lives. At the OAC, we had to rethink the ways we provided services to our guests, including a full two-week shutdown, as per City of Atlanta guidelines.  While this shutdown impacted all of our guests dramatically, it also meant we had to shut down the Main Frame program mid-class.  As we are all painfully aware, the pandemic has continued to grow, which means we have not been able to reconvene our regular Main Frame classes.  For most people, including the majority of the people in that interrupted class, a pandemic-driven shut down of the class was enough to push them to move on and forget about the program.  And who could blame them?  But this was not true for one student, Ms. D.  

Ms. D kept in touch with me via email throughout the pandemic, regularly asking when and if the Main Frame would start again.  Soon after we started the new, socially-distanced workshop version of the Main Frame, she contacted me to inquire  how she could be a part of it.  Due to her persistence, we quickly got her scheduled for the next Main Frame workshop sessions, and she completed all three sessions in one week.  Shortly thereafter, she scheduled multiple appointments with me to work in the computer lab on her résumé, talk about possible employment certifications, and review her job options.  

At the end of each Main Frame session, we talk a bit about the character trait of resilience and how to cultivate it.  In retrospect, if I had thought about Ms. D.’s incredible resilience while trying to talk to her class about it, I would have felt fairly silly.  I might have even asked her to tell the class what it means to be resilient. She’s shown time and time again that she’s not going to give up on herself. Despite all she’s endured, even in a pandemic, she continues to use all the resources that are available to her. She jumps at every chance to try something new, learn more skills, or seek opportunities. 

Ms. D. has not yet found employment, but the OAC is able to financially assist her in earning her alcohol service certification in the next few weeks to broaden her opportunities in the service industry.  I’m excited to continue to offer her support as well as hopeful because I know her next success is just around the corner!