Where is the time to make a difference?

My name is Michael Shank. For the last year and three months, I have been an AmeriCorps member with Michigan’s Campaign to End Homelessness AmeriCorps’ Program. During this time, I have served as a Homeless Prevention Assistant with the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency. Here are my reflections…

(1) There is an overwhelming amount of need presenting to agencies and organizations with limited resources. Everyday, my voicemail fills up. I answer a call, only to hang-up and find that I have received three new calls. Always the calls are from people facing eviction and homelessness. Daily, I attempt to give I&R and to develop Crisis Plans for people facings dire situations. Daily, I process files and transfer them to already overloaded case managers, who are working with limited program openings and limited funds. There are never enough hours in the day, and always someone’s need goes unmet. The voicemail indicator light on my voicemail is flashing when I leave the office at night and when I return in the morning.

It is not only the agency I serve with that is experiencing such overwhelming amounts of need, but also many of the agencies that we are partnered with. What then can we do when the system is seemingly so overwhelmed? We need to coordinate better with the faith community. We need volunteers, though we do not have the space for them. We need better community awareness of the state of poverty and homelessness in our own community. We need more community members/organizations to step up and take responsibility for the needs of our own community and our own neighbors.

(2) While clients coming to my agency often present as homeless, at risk for homelessness, or facing eviction, generally these presenting needs are associated with more foundational needs such as lack of employment, lack of transportation, lack of affordable housing, and more often than not, the lack of community. While we have financial and case management services for homelessness and eviction needs, we are not able to provide employment, transportation, or community. Yet these needs are fundamental and interconnected. Without employment, there is usually no income to purchase or sustain transportation. Without transportation it is difficult to find and sustain employment. Similarly, without transportation it is difficult to find and sustain community, and without community, it is difficult to have a support network and safety net in order to pursue and sustain either transportation or employment. Without affordable housing, a person is in a continued state of crisis, whether acute, or chronic, when transportation, employment, and community will be in a continued state of jeopardy.

What are possible solutions? Possible solutions for the lack of transportation might be vehicle donations, public transportation, car pool initiatives, and more financial services for transportation needs. Possible solutions for lack of community might be the development of a community center(s), or better awareness of community centers already present, such as the Friendship Center for seniors and the Petoskey Club for special needs. Possible solutions for the lack of income and employment might be the development of a farmer’s markets, craft markets, small business entrepreneurship classes, living on less classes, and etc. What of the possible solutions for affordable housing? Do we need more income based housing, more housing vouchers, and etc? Yes, but how will we pay for these? Who will pay for them? Can the faith community, individuals, and organizations purchase housing to be used as low-income housing? Can people start opening up their spare bedrooms, basements, garage apartments, as low-income options? What of utilizing larger homes as shared homes or boarding houses? Have we explored all these options?

What is so overwhelming is knowing that there are possible solutions to fighting homelessness and poverty, and then looking at the stack of files on my desk, the number of calls that need returned, or the length of my to do list, and I ask in desperation, “Where is the time to make a difference?”