#poverellohouse

I had called the Proverello House in Fresno, California to ask a few questions about what they do there and what they do to help the homeless in the community. The Proverello House opened in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit, nondenominational organization that serves the hungry, homeless, and destitute of Fresno, California. When I asked one of representatives from the Proverello House what type of serves they have to help the homeless, she explained how they serve three meals a day to anyone in need, they offer free medical and dental care through the Holy Cross Clinic, they also provide showers and laundry services, they house 28-bed residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation program, they also distribute free clothing, transportation, and mail services. 

I also asked how many people come to stay annually she said that most people will just come to eat and do their laundry when needed but when it starts to become cold more people will come to stay overnight and throughout the winter. She also explained how it became a lot easier when the Village of Hope was build which houses 66 single men and women; she said how she was glad it was build because it made her sad to turn people away during the winter. When I asked if they were planning on expanding their organization to places further than Fresno she said they wish they could have as many houses so there are no homeless people anymore but unfortunately everything takes money and time. 

I asked how their organization is funded and she told me how they do a lot of fundraisers throughout the year and the community has given a lot in donations to help provided not only money but also clothing. I asked if they had any services that can prepare the homeless for when they decided to leave she said that they have counseling and try to give them the confidence in believing in themselves for when they leave. She also stated how they are always in need of volunteers and become a volunteer you must go the volunteer orientation and be interviewed. The last question I asked was what she believed was the biggest misconception about the homeless people in the community, she said that people believe that they want to be homeless, that they could wake up no day and become “normal” if they so choose. But the reality is that they don’t to be homeless as much as you don’t want them to be there.

The Poverello House, a shelter for the homeless and less fortunate, is a well-known and renowned place of safety. It is located in Fresno, California, the heart of central Cali. As well as sheltering the homeless, it feeds them and encourages those within to become part of the society.

I conducted a short interview with Gabriela McNiel, Manager of Volunteer Services/Social Media and Head Archivist. McNiel has been working full time at the shelter for over 8 years, and has much experience dealing with the needy. She is a woman who cares deeply about the growing problem of homelessness, and wants dearly to rescue those who are indeed homeless. During the interview, I asked her several questions which pertained to the goings-on in the shelter and how they operate. Here are a few sample questions so you get the idea-

1Q. How do living standards differ from inside the shelter from outside of it?

1A. It would be the difference between living in a home & camping. The differences are extreme and can be brutal (streets v. a quiet neighborhood home).

2Q. What do most new arrivals do for the first few hours/days they are there?

2A. That is completely up to them. They may eat, use the showers, ask for laundry or clothing, etc. We are simply open to help them with basic life sustaining services.

McNiel responded with clear-cut, simple answers which gave insight into life in the shelter. The shelter itself can hold up to 148 residents, in different areas located around the House itself. The shelter has many spots open for volunteers to help with the work in and around it.

The current economy affects the Poverello House greatly, because they are tied to a budget. However, the shelter has a lot of help from the local businesses who donate canned goods, produce, clothing, soft drinks and more on a weekly basis. The donated food they receive is stored for later use, or used immediately depending on the circumstances, but never wasted. They receive grants from outside sources, however 85% of their income is from people donating, like you and I. They run the shelter themselves, and do not ask for help from the government. The people working down at the shelter like Gabriela are do-gooders, and enjoy making a change in the community.  

When it comes to homelessness, they less fortunate need all the help they can get. Going to the Poverello House is a great opportunity for those in the Fresno area, and continues to be a refuge for the needy. That concluded my interview with Mcniel, and allowed me to see just really how the shelter operated. I enjoyed learning more about it, and I hope you are encouraged to check out your local shelter, and maybe volunteer yourself to make a difference in a human life.

I’ve volunteered at the Poverello house once a month since I was a freshman. I’ve seen so many different types of people. I have seen what living on the streets does to people. When I started going there, there was a gentleman who went by the name of Cowboy.

Cowboy was a very tall guy, African American, wore a cowboy hat with a feather and cowboy boots. He was missing a tooth and he was always singing gospel songs.

What we do once a month is we combine Northside Christian church and another church and we bring food, coffee, water, and supplies to the homeless. Our station consists of hygiene packs, razors, paper, pens, hair care, soap, laundry detergent, pads and tampons, bibles, glasses, and clothes. The homeless line up and move down the line taking what they need. And then towards the middle we always here this deep voice, with a hint of country accent singing some gospel.

Cowboy gets the place clapping and humming and everyone gets excited when they see him.

But as time went on, he wasn't there every month. Sometimes he’d be gone for months and months. It was a little lonely when he wasn't there. Then I remember a few months ago he came back. His arm was in a sling, his skin was sagging, his under eyes were dark circles, and was walking with a slight limp. He still sang and he was still a jolly guy, but we all knew what had changed him. The drugs.

He had apparently been in and out of jail for months for obvious reasons. It was sad to know that this guy, who was so nice and friendly and warm, was going through such a rough time.

There are so many people there. The entire road near the Poverello house is lined with tents and makeshift homes. There’s trash everywhere, urine, dirt, and dogs that walk around the street. There’s the pimps, the prostitutes, and the drug dealers.

You always can tell who the new people are, they are cleaner than the rest, and they still have a light in their eyes that still hopes for something better. But a few months later, those same people look like the rest, they’re hair is matted, their skin is burned from the sun, their hygiene is noticeably worse, and you can see the dark purple bruises on their arms and legs and under their eyes. You can see cuts and scabs and needle marks all over their arms. You can smell the years of poverty that lives on that road, you can smell the marijuana and the booze and the alcohol and the cigarettes and the urine and feces.

It breaks my heart that people live like this, but they seem content with it. I've never once seen anyone crying. No one has ever complained to us that their life was hard. No one has ever said they are determined to leave. I've even heard people say how they like it there, its home now. We shouldn't glance at them and think, “poor them”. We shouldn't pass by them and take pictures, then post them on Instagram with a caption saying, “These poor people, blah blah, pity pity.” If you see someone with a sign asking for money, give them money. But don’t assume that they all hate life and they’re desperate. If they are happy there, then they are happy.

To this day, Cowboy still struggles with his addictions, but we all pray for him to get better.