June 25, 2008
June 16, 2008
June 10, 2008 Director's Report
Five more Gateway apartments will be occupied this month- three singles and two families. Gateway residents continue to receive services from The Samaritan Inn on a regular basis and attend the weekly Alumni Association meeting. 
January 25, 2008
If YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME
It's a cold and rather bleak Friday afternoon but the staff at the Samaritan Inn are floating on air after last night's Gateway meeting.
Gateway is our new program-a transitional living apartment complex with twenty units designed for people that are ready to leave the shelter but can not yet afford market value rents.
When this program was still in the "thinking" stage we decided that we would ask the community to "adopt" an apartment-meaning they would furnish it from top to bottom-furniture of course ,along with linens, towels, pots, pans and all the other necessities of a home.Since Gateway is a transitional program, residents will be fully independent after 18months and at that time, they will take all the things from their Gateway apartment with them.
Some people thought this plan was a bit grandiose. Would people really want to help the homeless in such a big way? Would they balk at all their donations being carted off in 18 months? Would it be too expensive and/or time consuming? I am pleased to announce the answer is no, no and no!
We said : "If you build it, they will come" ( okay, we borrowed the line from 'Field of Dream's', but we did say it...) and we were right. The phone has been ringing with interested people since the first announcement in the local paper and last night our board room was filled as we explained all that would be involved in this project. Twelve of the twenty apartments have already been spoken for and we expect the remaining ones to be claimed within the next two weeks. People are truly good.
When our meeting was over last night we took the donors through the two first apartments that will be filled and we introduced the residents that are slated to go into them- Aaron and his teenage daughter Guyler will go in the two bedroom and Guyler literally jumped for joy when she saw her new bedroom. Steve, single and in his late twenties, will get the one bedroom and offered a heartfelt thank you to all of the people gathered who had come to help.
Today the phone continues to ring with calls from the people in attendance last night. They are saying things like : "The place is amazing", "It will change people's lives", "I am so proud to be a part of this" and we say thank you, we know, we have been blessed to have a job where we feel that way everyday.
January 02, 2008
I received a very disturbing call about an hour ago. It was from a reporter at a local newspaper who said she had gotten a call from one of our residents indicating that toys that were donated to the Samaritan Inn (from the community) were not given to her children, but were instead sold at our thrift store. I told the reporter I was " shocked and disappointed" and I am- though I should have added "heartbroken".
The Samaritan Inn does not ask for toys at Christmas time. We have found that it is far more dignified when we provide gift cards to our residents who are parents and allow them to choose and "buy" their own children's gifts. The public seems to understand this and donated enough cards that we were able to provide fifty dollars for each adult who lives here and seventy five dollars for each child. In addition every resident got a stocking, Christmas candy, cookies ,cakes and a special holiday meal.
Of course even though we didn't ask for toys, we received them- so we made them available to Samaritan Inn graduates who are now living independently but still need some help at Christmas. We met the parents on a Saturday evening and allowed them to choose three toys for each child that they had. Several local churches also referred people from the community to us for this purpose and we were pleased to be able to help them too. When everyone was provided for we did indeed take the leftover toys to the thrift store- where they will be sold and the proceeds will come back to the Samaritan Inn.
I am overwhelmingly grateful for every donation we received this Christmas. We took great pains to record and log all of them and we had a specific plan in place to insure that we could help as many people as possible and we did. All of our decisions are made by consistently considering what is in the best interest of the resident and Christmas was no different. One resident may have called the newspaper but I assure you many more sought me out to tell me how much they appreciated all they received and several even sent me little notes. It is important that the public understand that the vast majority of the people who live here are working hard to re-gain their Independence and are inordinately appreciative of the help they have received.
December 24, 2007
Christmas
It is Christmas Eve at the Samaritan Inn.
Many of our residents are off from work today and so they are in the kitchen drinking coffee and hot choclate or watching television in the family room.
Despite so many people being home, it is surprisingly quiet.
The community overwhelmed us with donations this year. We received over 29,000 in gift cards to Target and Wal-Mart. Each single resident got a 50 dollar card and each parent received a 75 card for each of their children. They were distributed last week at the resident's meeting and there was not a dry eye in the place. Amazingly ,two residents refused to take their gift cards-they said they were blessed by being here and insisted we give their cards to the next people who showed up, but could not get in because we are full.The cards that are leftover will be saved for future shelter needs.
We did not ask for any toys this year but we got them anyway- hundreds of dolls, trucks and teddy bears and 40 brand new bikes with helmets. Because of this over-abundance we were able to open a toy store for our former residents, who are now independent but still need a bit of assistance. The "store" opened on Saturday at 5pm and about thirty families came by to choose things for their children. When you are part of the working poor- you get by ,but extras are often out of reach-so we were so pleased that we could help.
In addition to the gift cards and toys we received many donations of food- 50 turkeys are in the freezer and so many canned goods that we now have overflow in the closet in my office. Our residents will eat meals all year long from theses Christmas donations.
The Samaritan Inn has been blessed beyond measure in 2007 and so I have.
It is a privilege and an honor to be part of this worthy mission.
Merry Christmas!
December 12, 2007
Christmas!
The last time I wrote we were preparing for the 'Second Annual Good Samaritan gala. I was marveling at the fact that our staff was so actively involved in the event, though the things they were doing were far beyond the responsibilities of their job description. Well- 6 weeks after the fact ,I am happy to report that the evening was a huge success- we raised just over 100,000 which was a record making event for us.Hundreds of people-staff, volunteers, board members and residents- made it happen and I am exceedingly grateful to all of them.
Fast forward-it's Christmas time at the Inn. Cold and rainy on the outside but warm and welcoming on the inside. Everyone of our beds are full and 45 children can be heard laughing and playing in the halls. As is always the case, we want to provide a special holiday; so we have asked people who wish to help to donate small gift cards ( in denominations of 10 to 20 dollars) to Wal-Mart and Target. We will give these to our parents with children, so that they may choose and "buy" the gifts themselves. Many generous people have responded and yet others feel strongly that they want to donate toys. There is no doubt that it is a lot more fun to purchase a doll or truck then a gift card, but we continue to encourage the cards because it provides more dignity to our parents.
Maintaining your dignity is empowering and empowerment is what you need in order to become independent- and that is always the goal of our program. Santa will visit the shelter, parties are being planned and carolers will come, but not on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve has no activities on the agenda so that each family that lives here, can have their own Christmas and their own traditions and make their own plans to be in their own home next year.
October 23, 2007
2007 Gala
It is three days before our 2nd Annual Good Samaritan Gala and everyone at the Samaritan Inn is head over heels in the details. This is our largest fundraiser of the year and the proceeds raised are a significant piece of our annual budget- so we are very anxious for everything to go well- exceedingly well.I think we have thought of everything but I'm sure that we will find out differently on Friday night- although hopefully not when I am on stage.
As I watch our staff run around handling things that have absolutely nothing to do with their jobs, I am amazed and grateful. One of our caseworkers is ordering balloons, another has offered to transport the silent auction items, our thrift store manager is handling the bid sheets, my maintenance man will help the award winners on stage and so it goes and goes and goes. People who already have a significant job are taking on more responsibilities for " the cause".
At a conference I attended last month one of the speakers said that the staff at homeless shelters don't just help people out of the pit, they get in the pit with them- and I assure you that is true about the Samaritan Inn staff and when they get out of the pit, they help plan a party that will fund their next trip to the pit. So today- in the midst of gala-craziness, mainly how I feel is grateful.
September 18, 2007
The Other 30%
At the Samaritan Inn, Collin County's only homeless shelter, we regularly publicize and promote our 70 percent "graduation" rate. A graduate is a formerly homeless person who leaves our program with full-time employment and a place to live. Seventy percent in our business is a very successful statistic, and we attribute it to the intensity of our program, our stringent admissions criteria and meticulous intake interviews. We're proud of this number and regularly bring it up when we speak about what we do. But in all the times I have recited it, I have never had anyone ask me about the 30 percent who don't graduate. "Who are they and what happened?" I am always sure someone will ask, but they never do. Better to focus on the "happily ever afters," I guess. When I began my job as director of the Inn two years ago, I was sure everyone could be helped. I honestly believed that given the right support and appropriate assistance, everyone could make it. But I was wrong. I'm no social scientist, but during my tenure I have seen an awful lot of people come and go. Some I was certain would make it, but didn't. Others I was certain would fail, made it. And here's the difference between the two: personal responsibility. Make no mistake, I will always believe that the government has an obligation to protect and provide for its citizens. And I will always believe that everyone deserves basic health care, that the minimum wage is not a living wage and that there is a significant lack of affordable housing. But if all of that changed tomorrow, some people would still fall between the cracks, and it would be because of a lack of personal responsibility. Personal responsibility requires a keen clarity of perception that enables you to see the part you have played in your own problems. It requires you to own the choices you have made and the actions you have taken. There is no doubt that some people are born into horrible circumstances and have a much harder time finding their way, but continuing to blame the circumstances only continues the pattern of self-destruction and entrenches you in the role of victim. To paraphrase a popular saying, "stuff happens," but you can control the way you react to the stuff. At the Samaritan Inn, we provide food and shelter, but we also provide empowerment. We can and do sympathize over the circumstances you may have had to endure. We will help you overcome the fears that have disabled you, but we will also remind you on a regular basis that you, and only you, are in charge of your life. Now, don't think for a minute that assuming personal responsibility is easy, because it isn't. If it wasn't modeled for you as a child, you are at a distinct disadvantage. Racism and sexism exist, and so does generational poverty. If you toss drugs and alcohol into the mix, it becomes even harder. It takes an inordinate amount of strength to acknowledge it and move on, but people can and people regularly do. There are many reasons why people leave our program before they have completed it – some can't follow our rules. On the street there are no chores and no curfews, and so they forfeit food and shelter for their perceived "freedom." Others relapse back to the drugs or alcohol that caused their homelessness, while still others have mental health issues that cannot be resolved. We don't put them out. They make the choices that drive their discharge. I have often been accused of being a "bleeding heart," and if that means I care and worry and fret about the 30 percent who don't make it, then I am guilty as charged. When I first started at the Inn, I sometimes closed the door to my office, put my head on my desk and cried about the ones we lost. Truth is, I still sometimes do, but the difference now is I don't take it personally. They have to.
July 19, 2007
It has been three months since my last blog and everyday since then; the Samaritan Inn has been at peak capacity. When a bed becomes available, it is filled almost at once. We do not maintain a waiting list, so people seeking refuge must check in regularly to see if there has been an opening. There are other shelters (though not in Collin County ) but it seems a great many people would rather sleep on the street and wait, then venture into Dallas. The thirty days of rain in North Texas did not improve the situation. Many people who prefer the "freedom" of the streets were willing to put up with our rules in order to stay dry. Long story short-we are operating a 120 member family-complete with babies, toddlers, teenagers and a sprinkling of senior citizens. More people-more needs and the only way to meet them is to address them at all levels within our community. The model for the Samaritan Inn is unique. We appreciate those of you who recognize that and support our program.
April 23, 2007
Let's remember the children
At the Samaritan Inn we have a caseworker who is solely devoted to the children that live here, that is because 30% of our population is typically under the age of ten years old. Children living in homeless shelters have a variety of issues-often they lag behind in school because they have missed so many days or changed schools so frequently. They are not enrolled in special activities or lessons because their families can not afford them and they face on-going social isolation because they can not have their friends over to play. Often their parents are depressed and anxious and take their frustrations out on them-point being, they have a tough road.
In 2007 we are working hard to address these issues -we have a counselor who is seeing the children on a regular basis,we have tutors who can help with homework and we have mandatory classes for the parents that teach them effective and appropriate ways to raise their children. We are also preparing for summer-planning activities and camps that will enhance their time off from school .
Last week a church in Frisco took the names, ages and sizes of all of our children and brought them new clothes-t-shirts, pants, sneakers, socks, underwear and pajamas. We typically provide clothes from our thrift store and that is an invaluable resource but sometimes sizes aren't exact and styles are rarely up to the minute.The children were delighted with their NEW things and modeled them for the staff. It was quite a sight to see.
Taking care of the children is a priority-we want to break the cycle of poverty and we want them to know they deserve everything life has to offer.
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