One part of my job I love is changing people’s attitudes or thoughts about the homeless. There are so many misconceptions about why people are homeless, or how they got to be homeless. Everyone thinks it will NEVER happen to them. I can tell you there are shelters full of people that thought that way. (If you want to learn the hows, whys and reasons for homelessness please contact Open Door Mission for a speaker for your next event.) I hear that homeless are selfish, uncaring and only looking out for themselves. I personally have never seen that, neither has John Horsechief a Men’s Center support worker. I am sharing his observations of something that happens daily at Open Door Mission.
Homeless Helping the Homeless
During my time here as a staff member, I have seen multiple occasions where gentlemen who are residing as guests at the Garland Thompson Men’s Center, help one another in various manners. Currently, there is man here who is blind and unable to perform tasks on his own. Since this man has arrived, I have been able to witness other guests of the shelter, step up and support this blind man with daily needs. The men continuously lead this man to a lunch table, they gather his eating tray, and they lead him to the medication room to obtain his daily medicine. Each day, it is different man who is assisting this gentlemen. It has been a great picture of what it looks like to serve and love your neighbor.
John Horsechief
GTMC Floor Support Worker