Kevin's Watch

I have worked in the NYC shelter system for 24 years. We have placed an average of 15 families into permanent housing a month.

15 families x 12months = 180 families per year

180 x 24 year = 4320 families.

This is just in my shelter. There are 280 shelters in NYC. We give them an apartment, furniture, linens, pots, pans, forks, knives, we feed them while they are with us, give them baby food, child care, provide buses for school, welfare, transportation, help finding jobs, clothes for interview, resume building, doctors on site, we help them search for permanent housing, we help them with deposits on permanent housing, realtor fees, and more and more and more.

In 24 years, 4320 families, not on person, not one.... has ever come to a staff member when they are moving out to permanent housing and said .....thank you.

Thank you for being the person that you are, Lorin.

Lorin,

Your service to your fellow man is greatly appreciated. Even when they don't tell you. Thank you for all you do.

Doc

Thank you both. Please understand I did not post this for accolades. I started my morning posting about Entitlement Mentality and then I was off to the races. For me, I don't give a crap, I have zero expectations but my coworkers are still young and expectant, still doing this kind of work for all the right reasons. I wish just one of the clients would say thank you to them.

They must be such horrible people.

Yeah, with a 0/4000+ record, I have to say that's a problem with the system (if it's really a problem) and not the people. Are comment cards readily visible? I know when I was going through the NC unemployment process, I thanked my file manager profusely (mainly because she seemed to be the only one in the whole organization that gave a crap).

FWIW, though, thanks. I was in and out of a few shelters as a kid and wouldn't be where I am today without housing assistance.

I would add, though, that many people tend to stigmatize those seeking assistance. It's hard to say thanks when you feel ashamed.

A smile, a touch, a word, they make all the difference, don't they? But the lack of them doesn't detract a jot from what you have achieved. Thank you on their behalf, and on behalf of those that you will help in the future. Somehow, though, I don't think your motive is to receive thanks.

lorin, let's say your shelter is an "average" one. 4320 families x 280 shelters= 1,209,600 families. Let's say the "average" family you place has 4 people in it. That's 4,838,400 people. That's 20% of the population of NYC.

THANK YOU.

I'm just sayin'.

[Syl] wrote: It's hard to say thanks when you feel ashamed.

I think that's key. If one is in need once or twice, if it's just a bump then past it...it's not so hard to say thanks [relatively speaking]...but if it's often, or looks hopeless ahead, ongoing, shame and resentment grow and grow. It isn't just poverty. Look at people who need extensive and long-term aid: even when they have plenty of resources the situation tends to get ugly.

Nevertheless 0/4000 is astonishingly crappy.

Vraith wrote:

[Syl] wrote: It's hard to say thanks when you feel ashamed.

I think that's key. If one is in need once or twice, if it's just a bump then past it...it's not so hard to say thanks [relatively speaking]...but if it's often, or looks hopeless ahead, ongoing, shame and resentment grow and grow. It isn't just poverty. Look at people who need extensive and long-term aid: even when they have plenty of resources the situation tends to get ugly.

Nevertheless 0/4000 is astonishingly crappy.

And what is the source of the shame? We have people here say things like poverty and taking assistance breeds criminality! We have one person who said "pride" stopps them from taking help when it is needed. Where does this shame come from? Is it born in a void, or is it that people makes them feel it?

You've got it right, Ananda -- it's other people making them feel ashamed.

lorin, you should let your co-workers know that at least *we* are grateful for what you all do every day.

deer of the dawn wrote:lorin, let's say your shelter is an "average" one. 4320 families x 280 shelters= 1,209,600 families. Let's say the "average" family you place has 4 people in it. That's 4,838,400 people. That's 20% of the population of NYC.

Wow, never thought of it that way, but NYC is 8391881 people in 2011 so its more like 50%

I would add, though, that many people tend to stigmatize those seeking assistance. It's hard to say thanks when you feel ashamed.

I never thought about shame as a factor. Something to think about.