- Hi everybody, I'm here with Rhonda,
and I always mispronounce this agency,
even though this is my second time here,
and I think it's one of the most gorgeous things.
So, where are we?
- You are at a MCREST
host site.
- Okay, a MCREST host site, and MCREST, rotating shelter--
- Macomb County--
- Macomb County...
- Rotating Emergency Shelter Team.
- Shelter Team.
- Say that all in one breath.
- All in one breath!
(group laughs)
What this is, and,
I'm so happy to hear it,
because she's the new executive director,
and she worked at a different one of these.
I love this model, because
it's 90 churches now, you have,
share,
come together, to help people.
And it's 60 people,
and can you explain some of that, how it works, and--
- Absolutely.
Well, we are a 30-day emergency shelter.
And the majority of our clients that come in,
they are able to stay for that initial 30 days.
But, we've kind of shifted a little bit,
one of the things that you'll notice is, a shift in our...
demographics.
Huge spike in the number of women and children
that we serve, primarily single women, and children,
and it really, I think, has kind of caused everyone
that does what we do,
and is trying to help to shift gears,
and really take a different approach
to how we address this issue.
- Why do you think that there's been that spike?
- Well, the economy.
We have, in Macomb County, Oakland county,
probably 60 different plans throughout the state
of Michigan, plans, 10-year plans to end homelessness.
Which, we're getting pretty close to that 10 years,
and we saw a spike, so.
(group laughs)
For some reason--
- I'm reading your captions on that 10-year plan thing,
we all think the same, so.
- For some reason, none of us planned
on the economic downturn, so, you know, shame on us.
But, as a result of that, the joblessness,
the foreclosures,
you know, this has just been a snowball effect.
And really, you kind of think about,
when you look at it from a much larger perspective,
then of course you think, "hmm."
You know, you see all of these foreclosure signs,
all of these for-sale signs, empty houses,
but I kind of challenge people,
to say, it's more than just a sign.
There used to be faces in that window.
You know, there used to be children playing in that yard--
- Oh, I'm still in that line, thank you.
(Rhonda laughs)
- Have at it.
- I'm gonna use that tomorrow night.
- Have at it. - Yeah, thank you.
- But, you know, I think we do just have
to challenge people to just go a little bit further beyond
what we typically categorize as homelessness.
- Right.
Now, as those of you that follow me,
can probably already know this little rant,
but I am faith-based.
I do believe that faith-based organizations,
and it could be the Synagogue, or whatever,
it doesn't have to be the Christian church.
But I believe
that the answer is the faith-based organization.
But we need to start doing things different.
And this is one of those different ways,
because, you know, and again,
there's 52 weeks out of the year, so there's 90 churches,
I mean, you can do the math yourself, well,
some of the churches can't house people like we see here,
this is like a mother's and children's room.
So, they can't, but they can provide transportation,
or food, so it doesn't matter how big your church is,
or how small your church is.
You can join with other churches of other denominations,
and get together, and help people.
And really have an impact.
- Absolutely, this has got
to be one of the largest inner-faith movements.
You know, I think in Macomb and Oakland county,
because, you know, the way
that the different faiths come together,
and partner to make sure that the families,
the individuals, are sheltered,
and provide a safe environment for them.
And, you know, they are fed.
Now, more and more, they're helping to get children
to school in the morning.
More and more of our clients work, so,
what it is, is now they're under-employed.
They possibly used to have one full-time,
one part-time job to maintain.
And then there goes the full-time job.
So a part-time job just doesn't cut it.
- Speaking to the faith-based organization, I mean,
what are the benefits if my church does this once a year,
or once a month?
- Well, with respect to the churches, my personal belief is
that the greatest thing that we get,
the greatest benefit from partnering with the congregations,
is when you walk into any church,
you have a feeling that you can start over again.
And that is the greatest benefit I think that we get.
Aside from the fact that, you know,
they fund-raise, and they bring their own resources,
their own hands to come together.
And a group of volunteers, and they cook the meals,
they provide the transportation.
Most importantly, they provide that safety.
Many people don't understand the trauma of homelessness.
- Right, oh my gosh.
- And I like to say a lot that, if you,
let's use the context of taking your family camping.
We put on an entirely different mentality just
to go on a camping trip that we planned,
to be outside, and we still think differently.
But, you know, for individuals who are
without their four walls,
there is a certain type of thinking.
There's a shift in thinking.
And I believe that there's a study
that says, probably, there's a three to four month window
for a person who is newly homeless
that you have, to reach them,
and turn around their situation,
before they start to put on that survival mentality.
Because you think differently
when survival is your primary focus.
It can't be that, you know,
you're, every day,
your sole and primary thought is on finding a job,
finding a place to live.
No, it's safety.
- Right.
- Because you're vulnerable now.
- It's so hard for me to communicate that,
to not just general population,
but also homeless service providers.
Sometimes they say, "oh my gosh, the guy did that,
"or the woman did that," and I'm like, going,
"yeah, they're not thinking right,
"because they have to survive."
You know, and then, it's just, but.
Even though you're in churches,
you're not preaching to the people.
- No, no.
- And they can be, they don't have to believe
to get services, rigtht?
- No, absolutely not.
- Oh, I love it, I love it! - Absolutely not.
You know, if I can get that word out, we don't proselytize.
- Yeah, I have trouble with that word--
(Rhonda laughs)
not just pronouncing it, I just hate the word.
- But, you know, we don't, it's not a prerequisite
for our services,
nor should it be.
- Exactly.
- Nor should it be. - Gosh.
- So, you know, our heart should be in the right place,
and it is, just to--
- Right, well that's what churches don't get.
By impacting the community,
they actually become,
you know, people talk about you,
and that's how you fill the seats.
You don't withhold
basic needs from people and force them
to listen to a sermon,
thinking, you know, that you're gonna have impact.
No, you provide housing, and food, and job services.
So, just so you know the shelter, I mean,
what Rhonda and her staff does besides organizing,
and correct me if I'm wrong,
because things might have changed in a year.
Besides organizing
the churches, and all of the logistics,
but they also provide case management
for the homeless people that are living there.
They provide services, job services,
mental health services, trying to connect the housing,
and all of that acts as just added stuff, so.
Correct, did I miss anything?
- No, not really, but I can expand on that.
- Please.
- To say that we also provide,
we recently were awarded funds to help
with first month's rent.
- Right.
- Our goal really has shifted,
because of the tremendous spike in the population.
That we've had to shift our focus
to moving people back to stability.
The Housing First initiative in the state of
Michigan really has come to the forefront in recent years,
and we agree with that.
You know, we want to be a part
of getting people back to where they are comfortable,
where they are safe on their own,
and frankly, what they're used to.
Our clients are used to being able
to take care of themselves, so they just need a leg up,
you know, and that's what we want to provide.
- Right.
How do people get ahold of you?
Or, let me put it this way,
let me ask two questions in closing here.
- Okay.
- Is there resources for communities
that want to start a rotating shelter?
- There are, of course they can contact us.
I would suggest that they would maybe check out our website,
and look at some of the services that--
- I was hoping you'd say that, but,
in case there was another, you know.
(Rhonda laughs)
- Yes, which is
www.mcrest.org, and that's M-C-R-E-S-T.
- Thank you, 'cause we always mess, I have problems with
that MCREST thing.
(Rhonda laughs)
- But they can also give us a call,
that number is
586-
415-
5101.
But with the change in the focus,
I would suggest that they start maybe
at the local or state-level as well, to look and see
how their particular counties are addressing the issue
of homelessness.
If possible, partner with some of those efforts.
- That's exactly what I say,
is the first step is, join your local homeless coalition,
and find out where you fit in,
and where you can fill them gaps, you know, so.
Thank you everybody, thank you for joining us.
Great to meet you, Rhonda.
- You too, Mark. - I'll be back next year.
- I look forward to it.
- I love this model, and I want to encourage you,
whether you have a rotary club, or if you have a church,
or if you have a bridge club, or whatever,
get with your community, find out how you can work together
with others, and have an impact,
because I really believe that we can end homelessness,
if we just work together.
- I believe that. - Thank you.
- [Interviewer] Okay, thank you.