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OUTREACH STORY #10: Housing Extends Lives! Outreach Extends Lives!

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They stood together in their particular spots day after day, not having much to do, not able to do much, as they both were suffering and struggling with chronic illnesses.  They lay together on loading docks and their other particular spots night after night, trying to stay warm and dry and safe, trying to contend with their confusion and pain.  They ate together in soup kitchens that adhered to the shelter’s or church’s schedules, not theirs, eating meals that filled their empty stomachs and were satisfying but weren’t the healthiest for their particular needs. They sat together in bus shelters, resting their weary bodies day after day, rarely taking a bus, but always confused by the times and dates because they all seemed to blend into one long continuous moment.  They lived together day after day, missing vital appointments and inconsistently taking their medications that called for consistency and special dietary requirements.  This was a couple I knew years ago. This was their liv
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OUTREACH STORY #9: Housing Saves Limbs! Outreach Saves Limbs!

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He was curled up under a bridge in the depths of winter, hypothermia had set in, even though he was wrapped in blankets, had on several hats and was wearing a few pairs of socks. He was curled up under a bridge in the depths of winter, the cold was biting, causing him to no longer feel his toes or fingers, and the relentless chill had caused him to lose the ability to think logically. He was curled up under a bridge in the depths of winter, his torn-up tent and the whiskey did little to protect him from the savage arctic winds coming off the lake. He was curled up under a bridge in the depths of winter, his neighbours (from the tent city) had found warm places to relocate for the night, so he was lying there alone. He was curled up under a bridge in the depths of winter, and on this particular night the temperature was well below zero Fahrenheit (at least -20C) and the wind chill made it even more unbearable and deadly. On these frigid nights, a few of us would drive around the neighbo
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Location: W Lawrence Ave, Illinois, USA
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OUTREACH STORY #8: Housing Saves Lives! Outreach Saves Lives!

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He sat there day after day, in the same spot on the cold concrete, puffing his "roll-your-own" cigarettes with his ash-stained fingers and sipping his "corner-store" coffee. He sat there day after day, in the same spot on the cold concrete, wearing the same clothes gradually getting dirtier and dirtier. He sat there day after day, in the same spot on the cold concrete, greeting passers-by with a smile as the weather was quickly moving into the cold months of winter. He sat there day after day, in the same spot on the cold concrete, causing concern to many locals because we were witnessing this petite man becoming visibly more fragile and smaller. He sat there day after day, in the same spot on the cold concrete, telling me that he was fine, wasn't homeless and had a friend's couch to sleep on at night. This was Frenchie—an Uptown gem loved by most of the neighbourhood. I struggled to believe he was telling me the truth. He wasn’t lying to pull a fast one on
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Location: 4628 N Clifton Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
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OUTREACH STORY #7: He Was Petrified... to say the least!

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He was petrified... to say the least! He had no money, so he slipped behind someone through the turnstiles to get onto the train and the police swooped in and arrested him. He spent a few hours sitting in a jail cell before he was released with an iBond and a pending court date. To most people I work with, this arrest would be annoying, frustrating, and maddening, not petrifying! Most people know arrests like this, normally result in either being thrown out or receiving a small fine. Most people know how important it is to ensure they attend their scheduled court date. But for this elderly gentleman, it petrified him... to say the least! He'd never been to jail before, he didn’t drink alcohol, he didn't smoke cigarettes, he didn't use drugs, he wasn't in a gang and had once had a somewhat successful business that had gone belly up. He was proud of his clean record and lifestyle, and everyone knew how he loved to look down on all the others experiencing homelessness. He
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Location: Wilson, 4620 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
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OUTREACH STORIES

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I have a goal. It's an ambitious goal. I don't know if I'll attain it, but I plan to write 50 brief reflections over the next year about my encounters and work as an Outreach Worker to those experiencing homelessness... These reflections could be from Auckland or Chicago. They could be from that particular day or a couple decades ago. They certainly won't all be happy joyful hope-filled stories, and they certainly won't all be depressing traumatic tales, because Outreach takes us on an eclectic ever-evolving journey. I'm going to be as honest and realistic as possible, I hope these reflections illustrate the importance and need for Outreach Workers. I hope these reflections open our eyes to the poverty that surrounds us. I hope these reflections help us to stop seeing those experiencing homelessness as the "other", but as "us". I hope these reflections challenge us to raise our voices against unfair and oppressive systems. I hope these reflec
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OUTREACH STORY #6: The Unlikely Inspiration!

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The men filed through one by one printing their names, writing their ages and signing their autographs. Different demeanours, temperaments, smells and personalities would grace us as we checked each man in. Every fella was assigned a mattress and two grey woolly blankets. I would always discover a lot about people through this simple procedure. One man waits patiently for his turn, another tries to push in, and another manipulates his way up the line. There would be a drunken sleepy man stooped in posture next to an energetic twitching man grinning and talking to a friend only he can see, followed by four friends who joke, talk and laugh loudly with each other. Each fella in each night’s line represented different journeys, traumas and stories, I always considered it an honour to meet and greet everyone. One gentleman graced us frequently throughout the shelter's duration. He was Italian and Polish, he was 53 years old, and was known as Nick. He would stand quietly in line, keep t
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Location: 4628 N Clifton Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
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Remembering Franck: My Coworker and Friend.

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Recently I found out my coworker and friend Franck unexpectedly passed away. I'd known him for about 22 years. Franck was one of the closest people I knew in Chicago. I loved this bro! We worked together. We ate hundreds of meals together. We argued together. He drove me crazy and I drove him crazy. He loved my family and I loved his. We joked together. We had each other's backs. Our bond was tight because we united in deep trenches and battled for those experiencing homelessness.  Franck cared. Deeply. He cared deeply for his coworkers. He cared deeply for those experiencing homelessness. Franck cared and viewed things from a black-and-white worldview, while I normally operate in the grey, which always created an interesting tension within our friendship. I could write pages about Franck, but I'll keep it brief with 5 little stories that highlight the beauty and growth of my friend and coworker... One of my oldest memories . I had just started working with Franck and he ca
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Location: Uptown, Chicago, IL, USA
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