Volunteering at a shelter has been an experience that  has opened up my eyes to the way in which shelters and other programs are run to help out those who are struggling with hunger and homelessness.

At  the moment they house three homeless, a young boy, a young women, and an older lady. I had envisioned going to a bigger agency and meeting all different types of fellow citizens. Although this was not the case I still managed to observe on the way in which the shelter runs. The director runs the facility and actually happens to live on the same property. This shelter is different from the others in the sense there are no staff members, only the director and her son. I admit I was pushed out of my comfort zone, the whole experience was pretty sketch. There were some things which seemed to be different. This shelter has ties to a Christian background helping those dealing with hunger and homelessness. There is no services they are required to go but most of the regulations made are based on the sense of Christian morality. This not only gives a sense of faith and hope to those in the shelter.

The shelter not only houses these people in need but also offers programs such as nutrition programs, GED classes, and other. The program runs for two different situations, a two week help and a 90 day temporary shelter program. After this time new accommodations are made for those living in the shelter. They have all sorts of parenting help for parenting. They help those confronting hunger and homelessness each and every day recover to get back on their feet like many other shelters. What is different about this shelter is the style of living. Each individual seemed to have their own little studio type of housing. They are able to have privacy and a space to relax. There is not overcrowding which allows them to have better communication amongst themselves. It has a very home feeling, they seem to feel comfortable and the volunteers are the guest.

I was not able to speak much with those who were living there but the way they interacted with each other showed me that they are each other’s support system. This reminded me of the support systems we have looked at out in the streets. Those who are dealing with hunger and homelessness have another incentive of giving and helping each other to survive. They become a family and contribute on helping each other recover from hunger and homelessness.

The shelter has regulation and or rules. Each individual is assigned there chore and are required to do so. That way the shelter maintains its structure and cleanliness. Unlike many other shelters I have heard about these individuals are not being handed they learn to care for themselves with the proper help.