What a Career Break in Public Service Taught Me About Advocacy, Slowing Down, and Compromise

Four years after graduating from Seattle University, I took my first career break.  I volunteered full time at the Central Presbyterian Church Outreach Center (Central Pres) in Atlanta Georgia through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC).  We had two full time staff at Central Pres - me and Carol Jean (Executive Director) - and a rotation of volunteers from the church and community.  Officially, Central Pres provided non-perishable food from our small pantry, public transportation tokens, financial support for required uniforms for a new job, and referrals to substance abuse detox and rehab facilities to mostly homeless men, but we didn’t turn anyone away.  We also operated a night shelter for homeless men every winter.

This time was a defining moment in my life.  I hope that everyone has the opportunity to get out of their normal life and experience one that is far outside of what they know.

We all need an advocate.

By the time I joined JVC, I had four years of audit and consulting experience at Andersen working with major public companies.  I’ve prepared presentations for executives and board members.  I made recommendations and defended my positions to executives with decades of experience beyond my four years.  I wrote technical reports to document our work and support our conclusion.  I did not anticipate that this experience would be useful in my work at Central Pres.

We had an official list of services.  In reality, we provided any help that was needed to the best of our ability and resources.  One day, I met with a couple who felt that their employer had cheated them out of wages in their work as long haul truckers.  I listened to their story, but I was still lost on how I could help them.  

They asked me to draft a letter to their employer requesting the missing wages.  So I drafted a letter using my ‘official auditor’ voice and printed it on church letterhead.  They were ecstatic with the letter.  I explained that I’m not a lawyer and the letter was printed on church letterhead.  But their joy could not be dampened.  

I believe that they just felt good having someone advocate for them.

We need to just slow it down.

We had a big closet overflowing with belongings from Central Pres guests.  Each bag was tagged with a name and date.  

When I arrived at Central Pres, the closet desperately needed a clean out.  Carol Jean knew the story of every owner who trusted her with their prized possessions.  She couldn’t bear to throw them in the trash, even if the possibility of them returning was minimal.  Nevertheless, she allowed me to coordinate the closet cleanout.  Three volunteers sorted through the bags to donate usable items, save important papers, and trash the rest.

Not long after we cleaned out the closet, one guest returned to Central Pres to claim his bag.  But it was no longer there.  He was devastated to lose his prized possessions.

To this day, this experience is one of my greatest regrets.  I revisit this decision on what I could have done better.  I didn’t yet understand the operations and guest dynamics of Central Pres before recommending a clean out of the closet.  I didn’t consider the value that our guests placed on these belongings - that to me were dirty bags but the most prized possessions for their owners.  I ignored the humanity that is at the core of our work to focus on execution.  

I should have waited to know more and understand more before embarking on an irreversible action.

We compromise.

Carol Jean, volunteers and I assisted Central Pres guests from 9am until the last one was seen.  We operated on a first come first served basis, so guests often lined up outside our gates for hours before we opened our doors - in the downpours common in the South and oppressive heat of the Georgia sun.  Carol Jean and I often didn’t eat lunch until 3pm.

The belief was that Central Pres guests did not function according to calendars or clocks.  They often suffered from mental illness or substance abuse or most often, both.  And this was true for many of our guests.  However, I also felt that it was inhumane for them to wait outside for hours in unforgiving weather.  

Carol Jean and I agreed on a hybrid schedule.  We scheduled appointments for half of our time slots and kept the remaining open for walk-ins, as well as allowing a  waiting list for the inevitable no show appointment.  The hybrid schedule was a huge success.  Guests with jobs could schedule an appointment or specifically request me or Carol Jean for their appointment, while allowing flexibility for guests who preferred to show up on the day.

Carol Jean and I brought different perspectives on the topic.  But we had a common objective to serve our guests with compassion and humanity that they often did not receive outside of Central Pres.

My time at Central Pres brought many lessons that shaped my values.  Even today, I continue to serve monthly dinners at a local homeless shelter so I don’t forget lessons from Carol Jean and our guests.