Available Resources for the Homeless and Career Goals
In America many are not aware that there is still a problem with the homeless who are disoriented and disconnected from family and loved ones. Some of them have nowhere to turn to and no one to assist them. There needs to be a support structure in place to bridge the gap and provide them help. In order to achieve this, I devised a method incorporating available and valuable resources to aid the homeless. The following will discuss the latter as well as my career goals which are tied into strategy to assist them further.
I’ve always wanted to know and comprehend the mind and thought patterns of the homeless and what makes them different from us. I’ve always been interested in learning what makes them disconnect from the real world. In May of 2012 I attained my degree, Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University. I became involved in a co-educational service fraternity known as Alpha Phi Omega. I found myself caring for those who needed it and participated in weekly volunteer services at a local soup kitchen.
Although, it seemed like a serving area, the soup kitchen doubled as a community center. My responsibilities were preparing and serving the meals and sometimes I would converse with the local attendees. I gathered as much information as possible from the conversations I had with the homeless. I was able to determine some of them had families close and distant that may be able to provide shelter and assistance. The obstacle was getting in touch with loved ones and creating a program to have both the homeless and family members participate in reconnecting with one another.
During the time I spoke to those who needed assistance I found out more information that became useful. They had only a few clothing items to wear, some tried to apply for jobs and had no one to help them get started. Their appearance was one reason why they were disqualified. Some of them really needed the aid of a counselor or other psychological medical attention. Those who had children and were not homeless but were about to be placed in that position did not have extra educational programs available to them. This was clearly a sign for a need for intervention.
An interesting path that I took was to volunteer, at the Salvation Army after school program which provided dinner to students. Lessons were administered and interacting in games were encourage to boost morale amongst students and instructors. I served as the fraternity chairman and my responsibilities included fundraising for the Fall 2011 selected philanthropy. During that year Spring 2011, a few members of the Alpha Phi Omega and I journeyed on a five day trip. This was to accomplish a community service project located in Orlando, Florida. This involved volunteering at several local organizations, it was then that I noticed a resource for the homeless was actually having more people volunteer to assist in their needs.
For the academic year of 2011 I was a guidance mentor for freshmen students at James Madison University. I also became a Lacey Springs elementary school tutor during the spring of 2011. I tutored and instructed third grade students in their studies. The year in itself was very busy for me but I was focused and determined to accomplish all that I had set out to do. Multitasking and time management are some of my greatest skills. After completing my studies I sought a career with the Family Vision Care Center of Richmond as a para-optometrist assistant. Patients were greeted, pre-tested and screened, I informed them of the process. I was a keen listener to those who had questions and concerns and provided assurance of the procedure.
There was a partner clinic who brought us low income individuals for eye exams. Understanding that not everyone is able to have an eye exam I wanted to find more avenues to assist those who need both medical and other services, but lacked the funds. Currently I work at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital-Developmental and Special Needs Pediatric department. I do listen to patients concerns and am seeking multiple avenues to aid them in their needs. Working to assist pediatrics and special needs children is very important to me. If we can help them we can as a community help almost anyone.
I found myself volunteering again, however, it was at the Bon Secours ICan Bike Camp in August of 2015. Children with special needs were taught to ride a bike. As a current member of the Homewards Volunteer Action Council. When I joined, I became a section leader in the Homewards Project Homeless Connect. I am pro-active in projects to aid the homeless. Monthly meetings are held to discuss different paths to take and new ideas to assist homeless persons. One key element is finding multiple resources to help them, ranging from vision, medical, dental, shelter and even educational needs.
As a section leader my duties included but was not limited to management of the medical and dental department, greet providers and explain details of the project. It is important and imperative that those who are in need receive the same services as everyone else. One cannot put a price on life or the life of someone else. The problem that arose was the project only took place once a year. Medical and dental needs are throughout the year and need to be maintained. With a background in customer service and as I am a people person I intend to put together a packet of ideas that can be used to help link homeless projects in the local and distant communities. A different project for each month of the year may be the actual resolution.
For many who are not aware, the reason why the homeless live so long in the conditions that they currently endure is because they have the drive to succeed and make it. They are willing to strive for longevity and that means a lot to me. My greater achievement is to assist them in attaining a home and possibly to the prior position they once held. My future accomplishments will be to link the homeless in a community of their own with computers to provide online assistance for odd jobs to help them get back on their feet.
The above mentioned strategy would eliminate some obstacles such as transportation, weather and climate issues and even communication stalls. Breaking down large tasks into smaller ones and setting goals and missions for each tasks would help eliminate any other obstacles that may arise. When you sit down and talk to the homeless you hear how stressful and overwhelming their lifestyles are. My goal now is to get them into a comfortable, home setting.
