This week we heard from Dan McGuire, the CEO of Homeless Solutions, a homeless organization aimed at providing housing and development programs for people facing homelessness in Morris County in the state of New Jersey. I found our conference call to be insightful and I learned a lot from Dan. Something that surprised me was the statistic that eight households get evicted each day in Morris County. It’s my feeling that if the county can recognize that statistic, then they can recognize that there is a housing crisis they need to tackle. Like Dan said, it’s all about the money and government support. Without that help, organizations like Homeless Solutions can’t accomplish much. I was curious to hear Dan say that in their Safe Haven program for those suffering from mental illness, Homeless Solutions does not house individuals with diagnoses of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. This left me wondering what help is out there for those individuals, who may be at a higher risk of homelessness. I loved hearing that Homeless Solutions is aiming to partner with fortune 500 companies in the area to create a positive pipeline from their shelter to higher-paying work! It’s a creative idea that allows Homeless Solutions to vouch for individuals that they know will become successful employees.

A side note: I found Dan’s advice for those seeking employment in the non-profit world to be really helpful. He reaffirmed my belief that any sort of experience can be marketed toward whatever company you’re applying to. He said it himself that secondary experiences are a value and that you should sell those in an interview. While I try to enter the real world, I will keep his advice in mind.