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Project Dignity
serving the homeless with dignity, humility & love

HOW TO HELP

"The more I do this the more I know I need to learn. The more I learn, I realize I really don't know much. The only thing I know for sure is, the day I decide I know exactly what to do for our clients will be the day I need to quit. Because, that will be the day that I stopped listening to them and started caring more about my agenda than what they really need....." Linda Dunlap, Executive Director, Project Dignity

Miss Carolyn at work Even the small ones can have fun Katie

In spite of an increase in public awareness, the homeless situation continues to worsen. However, intervention from a concerned community, particularly the non-profit sector, can increase chances for a positive outcome. Project Dignity firmly believes this because we personally see the results generated when someone cares enough to lend a helping hand. Concern and compassion are powerful emotions that accomplish wonders. Our clients repeatedly voice to us that more than the tangible services that we provide; the greatest thing that we ever give them is hope. Hope allows them to believe there will be a future for them and their children. A future that accomplishes our ultimate goal of seeing the families we serve transitioned out of the motels, into a traditional and settled living situation.

There are many different ways to become involved. Financial support is actually the least important component. We're not all called to do the same thing, but each one of us has a purpose. Synergy is a powerful thing. The power of all of us together truly does exceed the sum of the individual parts. We tell our volunteers that the most important thing you can do is to show up. You don't need a special talent. You just have to be there, both in body and spirit. Also, we teach our volunteers the importance of looking someone in the eye when they speak to us. The homeless are discounted in any number of heartbreaking ways, but the most insulting one we can think of is when a person turns their head. Looking someone in the eye validates them, makes them real for 5 minutes in a world that repeatedly tells them they are worthless because they don't have the right clothes or toys. We purposely visit the same 26 motels monthly so that we can build relationships with the people. They know who we are and they know they can count on us. In a world where everything has gone awry and the only thing they can count on is struggle and despair, we strive to be an island of calm, continuity and grace. As you might expect, we usually receive 10 times more blessings ourselves than what we give.

Volunteering can be very rewarding, but in the busy world we live in, we don’t always have the time to devote to it, especially when we work full time jobs and are engaged in the very important task of raising our children. There are other ways to help, for instance by organizing a food or hygiene drive. To find out more about opportunities to become involved, click on one of the links below.