By Jules Miyazaki
“Be kind, real and stick together.”
Dawn Van Guilder, with kindness in her eyes and a warm demeanor, echoed this sentiment as she shared her story of medical hardships, homelessness and job insecurity with me.
Van Guilder, her husband, and their 4-year-old dog DJ currently reside at the Lincoln Center, a 24/7 warming center in St. Cloud, as they search for a more permanent living situation.
Similarly, with a calm voice and introspective outlook on life, Jerome Bradshaw focuses his energy on looking toward the future with hope. For the past few months, Bradshaw has experienced homelessness as he bounced back and forth from his friend’s houses. Job insecurity contributes to the state of his poverty, as he is currently searching for employment amid his housing issue.
His story reveals the cascading effects of poverty and the difficulties of escaping it without stable employment and a safe roof over his head. All of the hardships Bradshaw faced, however, brought him to the Lincoln Center, where he describes he encountered a “moment of transition in his life.”
When he first arrived at the doors of the center, nerves enveloped him along with an uncertainty of what to expect next. However, he soon began to grow in community with the other residents there, who could relate to the same displaced feeling associated with homelessness and job insecurity.
“You don’t see this situation coming,” Bradshaw said. His story represents the crucial aspect of community to help uplift and support those struggling.
Like Bradshaw, Van Guilder emphasized that same sense of community, comparing those she lives with as “brothers and sisters.”
“People are great here. Staff becomes family,” Van Guilder said.
Van Guilder has resided at the Lincoln Center for about three months. Having a stable roof over her head the past few months substantially alleviated some of the stress the pair have been facing, she said, especially since the Lincoln Center permits their dog to reside with them. Her story demonstrates the critical need for communal and relational support during moments of instability.
Bradshaw and Van Guilder’s stories encapsulate moments in their life which have led them to this current moment. In light of experiencing job insecurity and homelessness, their outlook on life remains positive and is backed by the foundational support of the Lincoln Center community.
It is imperative to listen to and learn from the stories of those facing homelessness, to better understand how to help form a collaborative solution to this social issue. Harry Fleegel, the executive director of the Lincoln Center, offers a vital message about those facing homelessness.
“They are people – God’s children,” he said. “Normal people in a difficult situation.”
This recognition and reinforcement of the care for God’s children is the central focus of World Day of the Poor, observed Nov. 17 this year. Kateri Mancini, director of Social Concerns for the Diocese of St. Cloud, reiterates Van Guilder’s message of solidarity during times of hardship.
“This World Day of the Poor, we invite all individuals and families to think of ways that they can do both – volunteer with or donate to a charity that is addressing needs you care about and learn more about what advocacy is happening to help address that issue as well.”
Together, as a community, we acknowledge the importance of the World Day of the Poor and its ability to raise awareness of the complex issue of poverty. As a community, as neighbors, and as people, we walk alongside each other through hardships toward a unified effort toward social change.
On World Day of the Poor, we are called to reflect on the current state of poverty within different communities. When people need help, it is our responsibility to offer an ear to listen, a heart to empathize and a readiness to act. Stigma and preconceived notions envelop the subject of poverty and often conceal the reality of the situation – people in poverty are still people.
As Catholics, we are called to show up for others as Christ would, but often, the business of our lives prevents us from serving others in a greater capacity. In order to serve, it is first important to understand. People who face homelessness and job insecurity all have their individual and unique stories. By actively listening to these stories, with the intent to empower and unify those experiencing poverty, change can be made.
Jules MiyazakiJules is a senior at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University earning her bachelor’s degree in English Literature, with minors in Environmental Studies, and Strategic Communication. She is enthusiastically involved in campus ministry and will be going into her third year as lead accompanist for the CSB Student Masses. She is completing her internship with the Diocese of St. Cloud Social Concern’s Department.
Pictured above: Harry and Mary (Jorgensen) Fleegel stand in front of Lincoln Center, a 24/7 no-barrier shelter for those experiencing homelessness. (photo by Dianne Towalski/The Central Minnesota Catholic)