Central OAC

by Brenna Lakeson

As you might have begun to notice because of the decorations for sale and endless ads on TV, the holiday season is upon us.  While trying to buy presents for everyone on your list and cooking for the in-laws might be stressful, we hope that you’ll find some time to meditate on the meaning of generosity and kindness this season.  In order to jump-start some positive holiday feelings, we’re providing you with this short and simple list of some ways you can help us prevent and overcome homelessness in downtown Atlanta.

1. Donate Online

Perhaps the most traditional giving option on our list, you can simply click this link to give what you can through our online giving portal.  What does this money go toward? $25 provides a birth certificate for a guest.  $100 provides 20 guests with Georgia state ID cards.  $250 provides 250 guests with reading glasses.  $500 provides the support and resources for one guest to get the job training they need to get back to work.  We appreciate any amount you’re able to give, and so do our guests!

2. AmazonSmile

Will you be doing some online shopping this holiday season? You can give back at the same time!  Simply go to smile.amazon.com and enter Central Presbyterian Church Outreach Center, INC. when prompted to enter what organization you’d like to support.  A small portion of each purchase you make will go to us!

3. Wish List

While you’re on Amazon, go ahead and check out our wish list! Don’t have an Amazon account? Visit the Dollar Store!  We consistently need items such as travel size toiletries, snack items (crackers, 100 calorie snack packs, granola bars, etc), hand sanitizer, and Kleenex.  Giving to us in this way saves us both time and money, and it’s always fun for us to receive gifts in the mail from supporters!

4. Put us on your list!

Ask your friends and family to make donations in honor of you!  They can give using the online portal in #1 or they can send checks to:  Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, attn: Brenna Lakeson, 201 Washington St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303.

5. Volunteer

Are you interested in giving to Central OAC in a more long-term way? Contact us about our volunteer opportunities! Check out some of our opportunities here.  If we seem like a good fit, email Kimberly at [email protected] to get connected!  We would love to have you!

Ultimately, no matter how you are able to give to us this holiday season, we hope you’ll consider supporting our work to prevent and overcome homelessness.  Our volunteers, staff, board, and guests deeply appreciate the generosity of everyone who gives of their time and resources to keep our doors open.  Happy holidays, from your friends at Central OAC!

Each day as we work with our guests, we are given the blessing of perspective.  Many of our guests have the same struggles that we do: family issues, illness, struggling to find a job, the stress of paying bills.  However, on top of these somewhat typical struggles, many of our guests are also living outside.  The burden of living outside can make even the most manageable issues seem impossible.  

One of our art volunteers, Carrie Przybilla, wrote the following reflection back in August about finding perspective in the midst of difficulty:

“I have been sick in bed with a cold all weekend. I suspect I picked up a bug last Monday from one of the regulars at Central OAC’s art ministry. We provide art materials and a creative space to work as part of the services offered to guests. Many of those who take part are occupying themselves while waiting for assistance. A few are regulars looking to draw, converse, charge their phones, nap, or escape the elements.

When Roger* sneezed I remember hoping it wasn’t something contagious. Alas. As I lay in my bed yesterday downing Tylenol and cough medicine, my spouse making chicken soup and my daughter poking her head in to check on me every hour, I started to think about Roger. Was he feeling as lousy as I was? Where does a person experiencing homelessness go when they are sick? We’ve had thunderstorms the last few days. Does Roger have someplace dry to rest? Does he have cough medicine or Tylenol? Does he have someone to make him chicken soup?

Perspective. That’s what Roger’s given me. He is in my prayers.”

Lack of healthcare and lack of a safe place to recover from illness or injury are not only inconvenient, they can have severe or even fatal consequences.  Of course, having a cough and a fever is unpleasant, even if you have a soft bed to lay in.  But imagine how much worse a common cold would be if you had to fight it outside in the rain.  

When we help our guests obtain Georgia ID, we help them gain access to healthcare and housing options.  Back in September, we wrote about one of our guests who was able to get emergency surgery on his arm thanks to his new Georgia ID.  Getting ID can help guests like Roger secure a place stay and a job with which to pay for housing so that, next time he has a cold, Roger can recover in a nice warm bed with some chicken soup.

*name changed for confidentiality

by Ahren Cassinari-Foster

1.Each human being is incredibly unique.  Sure, there are some common threads that tend to run through the stories of the people I work with, but each person’s circumstances and their response to those circumstance, is distinct.  Each student brings their own strengths, struggles, and joys to our class.  When they open up and share their uniquely talented selves, awesome things can happen.

2.Finding a job when you have a criminal background can be extremely difficult.  Persons with a criminal history desperately want a second chance at life but encounter a lot of obstacles when searching for employment.  In addition to overcoming a work history with holes created by incarceration, these individuals often face the prospect of having to disclose some of their most regretted decisions to a near perfect stranger with the power to hire them or turn them away.  If they can find work, they often have to settle for low-wage, high-stress positions in companies that do not treat their employees well.

3.Resilience and attitude mean more than I ever knew.  In the midst of transition, loss, and struggle, so many of my students have shown an uncanny ability to remain focused on their goals and maintain a positive outlook.  I am astounded by their ability to do so in the midst of so many challenges.  Interestingly, the students who maintain a positive outlook throughout their job search seem to have a way of finding employment.

 

For more information about our Main Frame Job Readiness Program, visit: https://centraloac.org/programs/main-frame 

by Brenna Lakeson

David (name changed for confidentiality) was the first guest I saw on a Wednesday of a hectic week.  Our summer interns were scheduled to leave on Friday, and I was bracing myself for a busy season with fewer staff.  Because I was absorbed in my own stress, I was unprepared for the cheerful, hopeful voice that responded when I called, “David?” at the intake window.  

“Right here!” David met me with a smile and a cast on his right arm.

As we completed his paperwork together, David revealed pieces of his story to me.  His partner of 26 years had passed away less than a year ago.  After that, his life changed.  He never specified what he meant by that, but it was clear that, like many of our guests, David never expected to find himself without a job or a place to live, much less both at the same time.  Furthermore, David had recently gotten in a fight, resulting in an injury to the fingers on his right hand.  That’s why he had come to see us.

David didn’t have an ID, and, in order to schedule a surgery at Grady, David needed ID.  And soon.  He told me that if he wasn’t able to have surgery in time, he might have to have his fingers amputated.  While amputation is never a first choice for anyone, it would be an especially hard blow to David, who works  in Physical Education.  He had just recently secured a job as a middle school volleyball coach after a period of unemployment and needed to keep the job in order to gain back the security he once had.

I told David we would do everything we could to get him what he needed in order to get him medical care.  I instructed him on how to get a voter picture ID, so that he could at least have something with his name and picture on it.  I laid out the steps for him to get a Georgia ID. David looked at me, his eyes full of hope.  It was clear that, for the first time in a long time, David was able to see a way out of his current circumstances.  He attempted to tell me some more of his story, about his partner, but became too overwhelmed.  David choked back tears, thanked me again, and went on his way.

A couple days later, David returned.  He had obtained everything he needed to get a new ID and only needed us to issue him a voucher that would allow him to do so for free.  He was still concerned, though, about scheduling his surgery.  He had had some issues scheduling it at Grady, so we gave him some information about Mercy Care, one of our partner agencies that provides medical care for many of our guests.

David apologized to me for his emotional exit earlier in the week and informed me that he was feeling much better.  He hugged me and one of our interns who had assisted him.  He left with a smile, feeling even more hopeful about getting the help he needed.

Another week passed, and, during another busy morning, I walked into our waiting area to find David eagerly sitting on the edge of his chair.  As soon as he saw me, he sprang out of his chair and handed me an envelope.  

“I just came by to say thank you,” he said.  “I just scheduled my surgery at Grady.  They’re going to be able to save my fingers.”

I told him I was so glad to hear his news.  He gave me a hug and went on his way.  We opened his gift and inside was a thank you card.  “To: Central Outreach Staff,” it read. “God bless you.  I appreciate all of you.”
I put the thank you card behind our front desk, so that we can look at it every morning and be reminded that our sometimes simple actions, such as issuing an ID voucher, can provide hope, and even save fingers.