Homeless People Count

These three words are the double entendre slogan for Colorado's statewide homeless count on August 28th. I'm the coordinator for our county, and yesterday I got to attend a training for the "how-to." Now I'm fired up!

In my previous employment, I worked as a homeless outreach worker for the county mental health center. In addition, I coordinated 2 subsidized housing programs for homeless persons. In short, I met them in the shelter/streets, helped them out, and if I had room in my programs, housed them too. After 2 1/2 years there, poverty-level pay (I've never understood how an agency can require employees to have a college degree yet pay them less than a living wage for the area!), and some ethical issues I had with a direct co-worker (and mgt not doing ANYTHING about it), I quit to work for the City I work for now. My office does several things for the community. I just do things from behind the scenes now.

I'd forgotten how good it feels to be a direct contact worker, the energy that is created when all the workers get together in enthusiasm. I think of Margaret Mead, and her truely wise words: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

More on this later....