Uncategorized

By Nicole Jiskoot (Summer Intern)

I began this summer as a Clinical Pastoral Education intern at Central Outreach and Advocacy Center. I am a student at Columbia Theological Seminary, studying to become a minister, and this internship is one step toward pursuing the call I feel God has placed on my life. I had a choice as to where I wanted to spend my time during this internship. I knew I wanted to work in urban ministry of some kind. Being from a small town, I had very little experience with the types of ministries that center around an urban population. COAC was the first stop on a grand tour of potential sites and it instantly became my first choice. I got to tour the office, meet some guests, see what services were provided, and really get a feel for the difference this organization was making in people’s lives.

As I finished training and began meeting with guests one-on-one, I quickly realized that I was likely to get more out of this summer’s experience than I would be able to offer to anyone else. The men and women I met this summer were inspirations to me. I was able to hear their stories firsthand. Some of them have been shared with you before. Yet, there is something sacred that happens in the spaces behind the walls and inside the courtyard. In fact, my very first day was a sign of what was to come. As I approached the gate prior to opening, a gentleman on the street, one of the unhoused guests who frequented COAC from time to time, greeted me with the warmest smile, asked who I was, and prayed a blessing over me for the summer ahead. Here I was, ready to serve as a chaplain to the “less fortunate,” and a man with no home blessed me.

As the weeks passed, I met some of the most courageous and determined people I’ve ever met in my life. I also met some who longed for a sense of hope for the future, for whom taking one small step in the direction of stability and safety was a heavy task on their own. Regardless of the individual responses to their circumstances, what I found most consistent in my guests was gratitude. They were grateful for the services we were able to provide for them. They were grateful for the nourishment they received as they walked through the doors. As the summer wore on, they were grateful for the air-conditioning. Ultimately, however, they were grateful for the dignity and respect with which they were treated by the staff, volunteers, and interns.

As my time at COAC comes to a close, I am torn between the emotions I feel. I, too, am grateful for the experience I had, and I am sad to see it end. I cannot count the number of times a guest got into my heart, and I have a profound feeling they will stay there permanently. I came into this internship with the desire to make a difference, but as I reflect on my experiences, I realize that I am the one who has been changed. It has been my privilege to be part of this program for a time. The gentleman on that first day was right – I have truly been blessed.

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?