We've got your back

I was just downstairs talking with a woman who was referred to 2-1-1 On the Go! by a case manager at COTS. She is a 60 year old woman from Detroit who tried to make a go of it in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last year, only to end up homeless from lack of available work. She returned to Detroit in March and was almost instantly homeless. She has been back in town for only three weeks, but already had many stories to tell me about walking from Highland Park to Hart Plaza and back in a day, just to get help. To give her story a bit more credibility, it should be noted that she walked here from COTS this morning to meet with me at 9:00 AM in 40 degrees, wind and rain. She didn't need to walk here (because we would've come to her), but the case manager didn't know that, so off she went on her 60 year old legs to take another chance on getting some help.

We talked for about half an hour, during which time she eventually teared-up and said this, "I've been waiting so long just to hear those words... for someone to say, 'We know you're trying, and we've got your back.'"

This is the kind of experience that lets me know I'm blessed to be doing this work. I just wanted to share this encouragement with you all: that the seemingly mundane, tedious tasks we sometimes must do to create and maintain a program do have meaningful, personal impact on real people. I'm glad to be a part of this team.

Nicholas Monterosso
2-1-1 on the Go