Today on my Volunteer Odyssey, Julie and I had the opportunity to spend some time with the wonderful volunteers and guests of the Hospitality Hub.  I’ve seen the agency’s name posted around my church before, but I never knew their mission.  Hospitality Hub is literally a “hub” for homeless to go for assistance in meeting their needs.  New homeless guests meet with a volunteer counselor to receive an intake assessment, help identify needs, and discuss possible solutions in the Memphis community.  Each guest has a certain day of the week they can return to speak with their counselor, but they can return other days to use the phone or computers.  The Hub offers assistance for 90 days, with the goal that each individual will be off the streets and working by the time the 90 days are up.

Julie and I folding brochures for all the new guests

With Mike, one of the volunteer counselors

Julie and I were able to sit in on a few assessments and offer any additional suggestions and advice we had to share.  Although I definitely wasn’t the expert when it came to assisting the guests, I really enjoyed seeing their process unfold and learning about job and housing options in the community.  You can tell the volunteers truly care about the welfare of each person they meet.  One man I met, Charles, has had a difficult time finding a job since he has a felony on his record from 10 years ago.  The Hub is aware of most of the opportunities in Memphis that hire individuals with felony charges.  It’s unfortunate that an incident so long ago can impact a person’s ability to be hired, but it’s a struggle that many homeless have experienced.  Organizations like the Hub are so instrumental in connecting these individuals with employers, and they can identify options in a fraction of the time it would take each person to search and apply until someone says “you’re hired.” Luckily for Charles, he had an interview later today for a temporary position that he hoped would give him a chance.

Listening to Charles tell his story.

Having a social work background, it really excites me to see an outreach agency making such impactful changes for the Memphis community.  It pains me to see so many people on the streets, and there are some who just need a little guidance to get their feet back on the ground.  For someone to sit down with them and spend a little time assessing their situation and discussing options, means the world to them.  It warmed my heart to see how confident Charles felt about his interview today after his assessment.  He knew that even if he was not offered the position, Hospitality Hub was committed to finding him another option.

It was another great day with Volunteer Odyssey.  I’m loving every opportunity to expand my Memphis resource directory!

What I learned about myself today: I can really help someone in need by just sharing my knowledge with them.  I take for granted knowing how to set up an email account or create a resume.  Although they seem like such simple tasks to me, sharing that knowledge can make a world of difference for someone who was never taught it.

With the wonderful volunteers and staff at the Hub