by Ke’Andra Hayes (GSU Bachelor of Social Work Intern)
Many individuals feel the primary way to help someone experiencing homelessness is to give them money or food, which is not always the best thing. Although anything is appreciated, there are other ways to be impactful and giving. This thought is something I learned pretty quickly being an intern at Central OAC and working with our guests experiencing homelessness. I never took into consideration how simple things matter the most. During my first week of internship, my supervisor stated, “You never know when it was last that the guest had someone to talk to and listen to them.” Her statement has continued to stay with me each day. Something as simple as being a listening ear has the potential to make a difference in someone’s day. Simple questions such as “How’s your day going?” and “How are you?” are great ways to help people experiencing homelessness. Sometimes I think we forget the simple things, at least I do. Giving food and money is easy, but it doesn’t hurt to give some time.
We sometimes look at a person’s current situation and forget they have a story also, and we can no longer look at individuals experiencing homelessness through one lens. They are simply trying to make lemonade with the lemons life has thrown their way. I challenge you to think about the simple things in your life that you may have taken for granted and then change your interaction with those experiencing homelessness. Give a helping hand, volunteer, encourage someone, advocate, ask them how they are doing, and most importantly, show them respect. Being an intern at the OAC has taught me about social work and myself as a person. I appreciate every guest who comes in and shares their story with me and who makes me laugh. I devote my day to returning the favor and doing everything I can to assist them, hoping I can make their day as great as they have made mine. Being surrounded by individuals at the OAC who genuinely love helping everyone around them is truly inspiring. It taught me to never take life for granted and appreciate the simple things.