Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Four Years and Running: An Interview with Ray


When it comes to reliability, look no further than Ray! Ray has been volunteering every Thursday at The Mustard Seed for over four years, spending the morning in the Computer Lab and the afternoon in the Employment Centre. Before retiring in 2008, Ray was VP and Senior Engineer at RBC Capital Markets, where he spent 28 years of his career.  We caught up with Ray and asked him a few questions about his volunteering experience:

What prompted you to become a long-term volunteer with The Mustard Seed?

I was already familiar with the organization, as I would occasionally walk by on my lunch breaks or volunteer with meal groups from RBC or the Knights of Columbus. I decided to help on a more consistent basis when I retired.

What have you learned since being a volunteer at The Mustard Seed?

Volunteering has expanded my horizons, made me more tolerant, and taught me that appearances are not the whole person. If you have no experience with the homeless, it’s hard to relate until you know someone affected by it. When I would walk by, I used to think, “Shouldn’t they all be working?”, but now I understand how complex people’s circumstances are and how difficult their lives have been.

Tell us about what you do in each of your volunteering roles.

In the computer lab, I primarily monitor people’s time allowances and sign them in and out, and help them with technical questions, job search and resume tips.  In the Employment department, I am able to offer more intensive resume and job search support since it is a one-to-one appointment format. I support guests as they work with their Employment Coach to develop a career path.

What do you love most about volunteering?

The Mustard Seed feels like a family environment, and I have met so many inspirational guests and staff while being here.  But what I love most is when guests come back and thank me for helping them, and I’m glad that it happens frequently.

What has been your most memorable experience while volunteering at The Mustard Seed?

There have been so many, both tragic and uplifting. One of my best experiences was with a guest who lost his house and was laid off, despite being highly qualified. When he first came he was difficult to help because of his attitude, but after several months it changed for the better. I’ll never forget the look on his face the day when he finally got a job and he came back to shake all of our hands and thank us.


The Mustard Seed is celebrating National Volunteer Week from April 21-27. Join us in thanking the thousands of volunteers who donate their skills and time to The Mustard Seed every year!

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please visit www.theseed.ca and click “Volunteer”.

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Monday, April 08, 2013

Invisible

Walking downtown, I notice the strange mix of business suits with those wearing worn out clothing, carrying bags of bottles. Although they walk side by side, they are different. They don’t acknowledge one another. As they walk, the only similarity is their eyes looking towards the ground. I stop to chat with a dog owner when we are interrupted by a homeless woman. Before she can speak, my dog-owner friend cuts in to say, “I have no change”, and walks off. I’m left with this woman waiting for me to reject her as well. I reach into my purse and give her a toonie. I ask for her name and tell her mine. She introduces me to her friend and her friend’s new fiance. They are beaming with pride over the bright blue ring that looks like it came out of a toy box. We exchange in casual conversation about the amazing soup you can get at Red’s on 4th and then say our goodbye’s.

Harmless, really. However I understand how many are afraid to even speak to the homeless. It’s not that we look down on them, it’s more so the fear of what’s unknown. Personally I have wondered about my safety at times or have had thoughts of being followed for more money. We don’t fully understand their situation, making it hard for us to engage even in something as simple as conversation.


I’ve been doing a fair bit of research on homelessness in the last year and a half, and more recently, on women who are homeless. My findings have allowed me to engage in friendly conversation with ones such as these. I have found a few interesting truths in the process; I’d like to share them with you:

-No teeth does not equal axe murderer. It equals someone who has nothing and is probably ashamed of their smile. (If I struggle with a slight coffee stain, how must they feel?!)
-Saying “hello” does not mean unending harassment.
-Giving money may indeed go to booze, but it may remind them that someone cares. Wouldn't you drink if you were on the street in the dead of winter?
-If you have no money to share, I've found finding out their name and introducing yourself brings more than money can buy; it brings humanity back to their existence.

There are many contributing factors to what causes homelessness. Because of how vast the subject is, I would like to highlight a couple of factors when it comes to women you may see on the street who are homeless.

Did you know?:
-Many women on the street have come from situations of domestic violence. If they don’t have children, there is very limited shelter space for them.
-Women on the street will often hook up with a man for survival and a place to live – even if that man is abusive or feeds her substance abuse habits.
-Women only make up 20% of homeless shelters, mostly because of the dangers that exist for them while staying at a shelter.

Some women you see on the street were once just like you and I. Maybe they were trying to support themselves through University and chose an escorting job that led them to a party lifestyle of crystal meth that depleted their beauty and thus their employability. Prostitution was the next best option for them. 
Some women are homeless due to mental illness and no family that is around or willing to help them. Single moms have a hard time finding affordable housing in Calgary. Imagine working a $10/hr job and having two kids that cost more than that for childcare and your rent is $1500 a month. How does one survive?

Knowing some of these facts has brought their humanity back to my heart. Knowing their name has become important to me. Thinking about where they have come from means something to me. I don’t see them as separate from myself; I see them as valued members of our community, our city.


Seeing value in them makes them visible to me. I don’t need to solve their problems, but having them and the issues surrounding their situation makes them no longer invisible to me. This becomes the start to building a city I want to live in.


- Connie Jakab


Check out Connie Jakab's blog at http://culturerebel.com where she blogs about her family's adventures in serving the less fortunate and her continued rebellion to what culture tells us.  Be sure to pick up her book, "Culture Rebel - because the world has enough desperate housewives" at http://culturerebel.com/books/.   You can find Connie on Twitter at @ConnieJakab 




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