More Than Just Cans

When I first started my job at Matthew’s Hope as a 16-year-old, it was just a job to make some money. HOWEVER, over my 6 years here it become something else entirely to me. Certain experiences can have a tremendous impact, one of those experiences was while I was just getting started at Matthew’s Hope.

I met one of our homeless guests named Clarence while we were labeling cans in the back. While we were marking cans, Clarence and I would just talk, and he would tell me just about himself and at the time I didn’t see it as anything more than just a conversation between 2 people. I was later told that Clarence’s mood was raised just because I was someone who listened and talked to him, which made me realize that my job was more than just marking cans.

After Clarence, I made it a point to listen to our homeless guests. I want each of our guests to know that someone will always be there to listen to them. Doing this led me to meeting a bunch of different personalities who helped me see who we’re serving and how they got to where they are now. It showed me that a lot of our guests have mental health issues which I feel like I have a better understanding because I have high-functioning autism. Even with high functioning autism, I still know how it feels to not have a full straightforward thinking brain.

The main times I interact with these guests are when I am doing shopping for our outreach services. This is where the guests tell me what they need for clothing and hygiene. When they tell me what they need they often tell me about something that has happened to them over the past few days and I do my best to listen to them because I know it is important for them to be heard. One of these guests is named Daniel. When Daniel comes in, he tells me about something crazy happening to him. Whether it’s something involving the bank or the hospital. I can anticipate an interesting conversation whenever he comes in. At the end of the day, we all want someone who will take the time to listen. That makes all the difference.