A recent article in the Times Publications, which publishes several newspapers in the East Valley, featured one of St. Vincent de Paul’s hardest-working employees, Jackie Solares. Jackie is one of just three full time employees who work with hundreds of St. Vincent’s homeless clients, and with dozens of volunteers who help them, in the dynamic environment of the Special Works Ministries.

I’ve been involved with this program for 13 years, so Jackie and her coworkers are near and dear to my heart. Their energy, passion, and knowledge are amazing, as is their dedication to serving the poor and allowing others the opportunity to serve.

The Times article is reprinted below. The original article, by Shanna Hogan, with photographer Ross Martin, is available at http://www.timespublications.com/odd-jobs/odd-job-give-back.asp.

Refuse to do nothing -- Volunteer! (Photo by Ross Martin)

Giving Back

Hanging on the wall of Jackie Gill-Solares’ cramped office in the hallway of St. Vincent de Paul’s Phoenix ministry, is a painting that reads, “Refuse to do Nothing… Volunteer.”

It’s the motto by which Gill-Solares lives. For 20 years she worked as a barber, volunteering in her spare time for various charitable organizations. It was during one charitable endeavor, three years ago, while providing haircuts for the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul, that she decided to change her life and make giving back her full-time job.

“When I came here, I loved this ministry and what they do. I decided I’d be happier working here,” she says with a smile. “I haven’t regretted it since. It’s been wonderful.”

Each weekday hundreds of the Valley’s homeless and poverty-stricken arrive at the St. Vincent de Paul facility for a sack lunch, shower or a change of clothes. It’s Gill-Solares’ job to help them get back on their feet. As one of just three full-time employees, she wears a lot of hats, assisting in every department.

It’s a very busy and demanding job. And in this current economic downturn, an increasing number of people are finding themselves in need.

“I’m seeing more families and singles who have never been in this situation before, and they just look shell-shocked,” she says. “It’s very scary.”

Jackie Gill-Solares:

Age: 49

Years on the Job: Three

Job: Gill-Solares assists in several different departments including admissions, family services and job placement. “Each client is seen. We try to provide as much service as we can one-on-one.”

Training: “The training is really ongoing. It’s mainly on-the-job training… They didn’t hire me fore my administrative skills; they hired me for my people skills.”

Hours: St. Vincent de Paul provides services to the Valley’s homeless and working poor each weekday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gill-Solares spends the rest of her workday preparing for the following day’s crowd.

Best Part: “Knowing that I made a difference every day.”

Worst Part: “Having to say ‘no,’ that’s the hardest part. Whether it’s tough love or there’s nothing we can do, saying no is always difficult. But we never send anyone away empty-handed.”

Helping: An average of 137 people a day come to St. Vincent de Paul’s special ministry in Phoenix for assistance. Gill-Solares says that number is increasing.

Needed: St. Vincent de Paul is always in need of clothes, non-perishable food items and monetary donations. This time of year, jeans, sweat pants, work boots and new socks and underwear are in short supply. For more information on how to donate: www.stvincentdepaul.net.

Time goes by quickly when you’re doing something that’s needed and feels personally rewarding. As the director of shelter services at St. Vincent de Paul, I’m amazed that on July 1st, Ozanam Manor, our transitional housing program, will celebrate its 25th anniversary here in Phoenix.

During the past 25 years, with generous support from the community and help from many fine volunteers and staff, Ozanam Manor has been a refuge for over 3,000 elderly and disabled homeless men and women and offered an opportunity to help stabilize their lives and move into permanent homes. Those of us who have supported and worked for Ozanam Manor can be proud of what the program has accomplished.

Since its beginning with St. Vincent de Paul in 1985, Ozanam Manor has come a long way, not in size, but in its connections with the community. What started out with a 45-percent success rate for our clients has now grown to 62 percent overall, and our clients continue to become stronger people. From day one, our primary responsibility has been to create an environment of physical safety, dignity and respect for the residents, without which, it would be very difficult for the residents to make the major changes needed in their lives.

Perhaps that’s what sets Ozanam Manor apart from other transitional shelters—we offer so much more than a bed and three meals a day. It’s about connection and one-on-one attention. Whether someone is given an individualized plan of goals or simply a hug if they’re having a particularly bad day, the quality and expertise of our case managers and mentors has been crucial to Ozanam Manor’s success.

Although many of our residents have held jobs and raised families prior to becoming homeless, most were not aware of the programs and services available to help them with their situation. The effort needed to overcome homelessness is overwhelming and Ozanam Manor provides a safe, constructive setting to do just that. The case managers and mentors help residents feel well-connected and confident, and act as agents in helping them get back on their feet. This hands-on approach truly helps break down barriers and empower these men and women to better their lives, develop skills and transition back to independent living.

Ozanam Manor has succeeded because of the dedication of the staff, our volunteers and the residents alike. Everyone’s duty has been to work together and to look out for his or her neighbor. It’s wondrous to see how it all comes together when formerly homeless people regain confidence and start their lives over. They contact estranged family members, talk about new job or volunteer opportunities with enthusiasm, and they express most sincere appreciation for St. Vincent de Paul and its work.

As for me, working at a homeless shelter for 25 years is something I had never envisioned. I have seen a lot of good in people and have witnessed truly heartwarming stories of recovery. I have had great fun developing and implementing programs along side the staff and residents of Ozanam Manor. As we continue bettering the lives of people who are living in transitional housing, it is our hope that one day people will no longer need our services.

Click here to learn more about Ozanam Manor or click here to donate to this program today!

The economic crisis has challenged everyone to re-evaluate their lives and decide what’s truly important to them. And while “cutting back” on things like eating out or buying a new pair of shoes seems like an obvious answer to the average person, it leaves little room for the homeless and working poor in our country and here in Arizona.

The lack of resources among struggling families to buy food is a nationwide problem. As unemployment and food prices rose in 2008, the recession sent the nation into a downward spiral leaving millions of people below the federal poverty line.

Today, St. Vincent de Paul responds to more and more requests for assistance from families, many of whom have never before asked for help. From a small business owner who couldn’t meet payroll to a retired married couple who couldn’t pay their utility bill, anyone is susceptible to financial struggles. What’s more chilling are the countless men, women and children facing money shortages and food hardship right in our own backyard.

Teetering toward homelessness, these are the people stretching their money as far as possible and living paycheck-to-paycheck. With news of layoffs, budget cuts and home foreclosures hitting closer to home each and every day, the homeless and working poor are running out of options in their struggle for survival. So where do they turn?

St. Vincent de Paul Offers Answers

For nearly 65 years, St. Vincent de Paul has been a caring friend to those in need. However, in the last year St. Vincent de Paul has seen an influx of people in need of a nourishing meal, financial assistance, medical and dental care, or a bed to sleep in at Ozanam Manor.

With more than 90 cents of every dollar going directly to fund food programs and other services for the poor, St. Vincent de Paul is providing a hopeful alternative to those who need it most.

Food and Meal Programs

Armed with a powerhouse food bank that serves communities throughout Arizona, St. Vincent de Paul is able to help alleviate hunger among many individuals and families. The Society’s Food Reclamation Center collects and processes over nine million pounds of food from local grocery stores and community food drives a year. And with one of the largest industrial kitchens in the state and five charity dining rooms, St. Vincent de Paul provides more than 1.1 million hot meals to the homeless and working poor each year.

Conference Services

Another avenue St. Vincent de Paul uses to alleviate immediate hunger among individuals and families is through its Conferences of Charity. Made up of over 6,000 members and nearly 90 parishes, this community network of volunteers is the true heartbeat of St. Vincent de Paul; they experience firsthand the breadth of need in communities throughout central and northern Arizona.

Last year, more than $8.6 million in direct aid went to needy families and individuals for rent and utility assistance, preventing many of them from becoming homeless. With 51,525 home visits and 340,274 emergency food boxes distributed, the conferences of St. Vincent de Paul are changing lives every day. Its members are touched in ways they never thought possible by those they serve. Often, the Vincentian volunteers are moved to respond to the needs they see in unexpected ways.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog post to hear a few stories of those St. Vincent de Paul has helped.

The following article was written by Andrew Junker and appeared in the March 4, 2010 issue of The Catholic Sun.

Jeanne O’Brien had brought some photocopies of a book about joy.

Jeanne O’Brien, a St. Vincent de Paul volunteer, speaks with Roger, a homeless man living at Ozanam Manor. (Credit: Andrew Junker/CATHOLIC SUN)

She sat in a small, cramped office across from Roger, a homeless man who has been living at Ozanam Manor in downtown Phoenix. Roger fell down some stairs the week before and was having trouble moving around, so he kept a cane with him.

“You popped into my head when I read this, Roger,” O’Brien said. “You need some joy in your life.”

She slid the photocopies across the desk, and Roger read them for a couple of minutes. He slid them back toward her and shrugged.

“It’s worth pondering,” he said.

O’Brien wasn’t ready to let him dismiss it so easily.

“There is joy out there,” she said. “There are a lot of good things going on around you, and you need to try to find that place you can go to find joy.”

Roger said that all the places he used to find joy cost money — something he is in very short supply of these days. Then, the room was quiet for a few moments.

“Are you disappointed in me?” Roger asked.

“I’d just like to see you take some action,” O’Brien said. “Nothing’s going to happen until you make it happen.”

Click here to continue reading this story…

The following is an excerpt of a Jan. 25, 2010 Time Magazine article written by Kevin O’Leary.

Photo Credit: Amy Sussman / Corbis

After her husband left her, Jennifer Santana lost her job. Evicted from her apartment, Santana, 37, held her family together by living with a friend and then in her van. But as the nights grew cold in early December, she stood huddled with her three children in front of the Orange County cold weather shelter in Santa Ana. “There were long lines of men and women and the people were laying out mats on the floor. It was scary. I could not believe I was standing there with my kids.”

In America’s communities, the local homeless shelter is just one step away from life on the street. Fortunately for Santana and other families, county and United Way funds pay for adults with children 18 and younger to be immediately housed in motels. Six weeks after moving into a motel, a small, unheralded federal program — the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) — began to help Santana move into an apartment. “I am so excited. Things are going to be normal again,” says Santana, a shorthaired blond who has found work as a licensed vocational nurse.

Click here to read more about this story…

Also be sure to check out When Joblessness Becomes Homelessness written by Douglas A. McIntyre.

HUD seeks better understanding of current economic impact on homelessness with quarterly homeless statistics reports

The Homelessness Pulse project is intended to help the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gain a better understanding of the impact of the current economic crisis on homelessness. This understanding relies heavily on collecting up-to-date information on how counts of homeless persons may be changing as the crisis unfolds.

HUD reports to Congress each year in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) on the status of homeless populations and services in the United States, drawing on a nationally representative sample of communities and presenting a comprehensive analysis. But at present, the data on homelessness reported to HUD—whether through the AHAR or through the homeless services funding process—are only collected annually, which limits HUD’s ability to track real-time changes in homelessness. Read the full report…

HUD issues 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress

On a single night in January 2008, there were 664,414 sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons nationwide. Nearly 6 in 10 people who were homeless at a single point-in-time were in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs, while 42 percent were unsheltered on the “street” or in other places not meant for human habitation.

About three-fifths of the people homeless on a single night were homeless as individuals (62 percent), while two-fifths (38 percent) were homeless as part of a family. Family members were much less likely than individuals to be unsheltered. About 27 percent of all homeless family members were unsheltered on the night of the point-in-time count, while almost half of homeless individuals were unsheltered.

One-day PIT counts of homelessness changed little between 2007 and 2008: the total number of homeless persons decreased by about 1 percent or 7,500 people. Read the full report…

Are you or someone you know in danger of being homeless and need help? Visit St. Vincent de Paul online to learn more.