Telling Our Story

I love it when someone else tells the story of Good Shepherd Housing’s work with people that are homeless or on the brink of homelessness.  I want people to see and experience what we do from as many perspectives as possible.

When Terri Lee Freeman, President of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, began telling our story, I paused.  Wow.  Check out her blogpost.  Terri is an amazing leader and we are proud to be a recipient of several Neighbors In Need grants to help the homeless and near homeless in our area.  How exciting to have her shedding light on our work and impact in the community.  And yet, I was nervous.  All that she said was true.  We are doing good work.  The need has been overwhelming.

Ultimately my hesitation is rooted in the desire to be doing more.  I want people to get the assistance they need. I want to convey to our donors that their intent is being met and peoples’ lives are being impacted.  In the last few years we’ve helped more households with higher amounts of money per household, and yet there remain more people coming to us for help.

I switched mental gears.  If we are doing more in a shorter period of time (one month’s assistance doled out in a portion of one day), isn’t this a sign of great efficiency?  Hm…that’s not very consoling.

And then, the perspective I needed hit.  Remember that story about the young boy on the beach stooping down to pick up starfish washed onto the beach?  One by one he would toss them back into the water.  Thousands of starfish surrounded the boy.  As a man walked by and saw the boy’s efforts he said, “there is no way you can get to and save them all.  This is a natural process and your efforts won’t make a difference.”

The boy continued to stoop and throw.  “I made a difference to that one.”

BAM! That’s what this is all about.

Yes, there is a surge in people coming to Good Shepherd Housing asking for help.  And no, we can’t help them all.  But, now is not the time to quit trying.  We are steadily making a difference in the lives of low-income people struggling for a better tomorrow.

Thank you to all of our contributors (including Terri!) that have helped make our support possible for people that are struggling.  You made a difference to that one.