How the Shelter Enables Life Change
Our shelter last year helped people to change their lives for the better in the short time it operated. We were only open for 4 1/2 months, but we were able to help people change their lives for the better. I made the graphic below for a finance committee meeting when I was approaching the tribe for funding, and when I made it, I was really amazed to see everything that we offered in one graphic. I didn’t realize how comprehensive are services were before putting them in this chart.
The Basics
The hierarchy of needs as first described in Maslow’s A Theory of Human Motivation.
The basics on the left side of the chart are nothing incredible, but they make an incredible difference in people’s lives. Meeting basic needs enables people to pursue higher goals in their lives.
“It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no bread. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled?
At once other (and “higher”) needs emerge and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still “higher”) needs emerge and so on.”
Abraham Maslow (1943) from A Theory of Human Motivation
Individuals lose sight of the future in desperation to get their basic needs met or to numb the suffering of those unmet needs with alcohol or drugs. I saw awesome efforts to change initiated by the homeless themselves once they had food, safety, sleep, showers, laundry, and community. The power of providing the basic needs of the homeless cannot be overstated.
Case Planning and Management
Even with basic needs met, individuals who want to change sometimes don’t know where to start or what resources are available, or sometimes they can’t access those services without help. By listening to each person and helping them brainstorm the best use of their talents and resources for their situation, we can help them get a clear idea of what they should be doing day by day. We can remind them of those plans and keep them accountable.
The Services
I’m not going to go in-depth on these services, but I want to emphasize that almost all of these services are services that we have already provided with the shelter. Most of these services don’t require a ton of specialized training or licensure for us to provide. The only service that takes any special licensure is the drug and alcohol evaluations which I (Abram) am licensed to provide. The services that we offer will continue to expand as we continue to learn and try new things.
If you would like to support the life-changing work of Iglutheca, consider supporting our work financially. It looks like the tribe isn’t stepping up to the plate to fund us, so we won’t be able to operate without the generosity of individuals and organizations who support our mission.