At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone the power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on. #givingtuesday2020 is TOMORROW. Do what you can to help someone in need.
A HUGE thank you to Phyllis and Mary from Saint Paul’s Methodist Church for making an amazing entire Thanksgiving meal for all of the Good Samaritan clients housed at La Quinta hotel, we could not have had this event without your kindness. Our staff had such a great day serving and interacting with the clients.
There is always someone worse off….
In Aug of 2020, a consumer, a pleasant man in obvious personal pain came into the Our Place looking for housing. He had at one time had stable housing, a stable job, and ten years of sobriety from a Methamphetamine and Heroin addiction.
After a short talk with Our Place peer support, we learned that four months earlier his daughter had committed suicide, a week after that his older brother had lost his life to COVID-19, then within a month he lost his job and housing with nowhere else to go but his vehicle. Unfortunately he was unable to cope and process the personal tragedies and pain. Unfortunately, he returned to his addictions and became lost in drugs again numbing the pain.
He contacted several agencies for a Chemical Dependency Evaluation (CDE). He was told over and over, it would be between five to six weeks before anyone would be able to see him.
A peer support specialist introduced him to the manager of Our Place. Once the need was identified, Instar community Services was contacted for a CDE as a Good Samaritan partner for such services. Upon complement of the evaluation it was determined he needed inpatient treatment and Good Samaritan contacted the Montana Chemical Dependency Center (MCDC) in Butte, Montana. Because his assessment of need was so great MCDC agreed to take him within the week. Our Place gave him a ride to Butte and he spent thirty days in treatment. While he was in treatment, Our Place housing Coordinator, Lori reached out to the community and was able to find him housing. This, to prevent him from being homeless and without a safe place of his own. He graduated treatment and he is now stably housed. He continues counseling every week and is starting to work through the grief he feels for the loss of his family. He is currently reconnecting with his other two children and he just had a job interview he feels positive about.
You can help!
In February2020, a young female came into Our Place and asked the manager if she could volunteer at the drop-in center. The manager asked her why she wanted to volunteer. She told him that one year ago she had been homeless and living on the street. She had spent several months living in the shelter; while there Our Place had been one of the only places of actual comfort, safety, and warmth she could find. Eventually, she was able to secure an apartment, but she never wanted to be in that position again, so she went to the Career Training Institute. She spent a year training with them in several different employee areas. The young lady had previously never been able to keep a job for more than a week or two because she suffered from mental illness.
While at the career institute she learned about Peer Support as a career opportunity. She applied for and received a grant from them to attend Peer Support training. She fell in love with the concept of helping others that suffered as she had. When she graduated, she heard that Our Place had come under new management. The manager told her they had no job openings, but she simply shook her head and said, “No, I’m not looking for work right now I am looking for experience.” She told him that she knew she didn’t have very much work experience and wanted to volunteer twenty hours a week as peer support so that someday when she did get a job she would already be good at it.
The manager signed her up as a volunteer and gave her on the job training including everything from the NASW code of ethics to Crisis response. She was able to develop good work habits such as good attendance, mediation, and the ability to connect with her peers while remaining objective. Six months after she started volunteering, a job opportunity came up at Our Place and due to her hard work and dependability the decision was made to hire her. She works as a peer support specialist and enjoys success in this field to this very day.
Objective of the Position: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The Assistance Support Staff provides help to the Assistance Coordinator with programming given to individuals and families in need through our Assistance Ministry. Must have the ability to handle records of high volumes, extensive workloads(on a part time basis). The individual will manage client follow ups, reconciliation of GSM data base on in-store assistance, lead based paint inspections, landlord contact for completion of paperwork, and attend designated meetings. Must possess the ability to be flexible and work other assigned projects and duties as necessary and instructed. Skills needed for this position is attention to detail, time management, multi-taking, organizational and customer service skills.
Essential Functions: Duties and Responsibilities including but not limited to the following:
Other Duties and Responsibilities:
Qualifications (Required):
Preferred:
Physical Requirements:
Working Environment: The work environment will be focused in the office setting and occasional community interactions with clients, realtors and landlords. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work in a fast paced environment with heavy traffic flow, and heart wrenching situations on and off throughout the day
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed by employees in this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications. The Good Samaritan Ministries Management reserves the right to amend and change the responsibilities to meet the store needs at any time.
Giving Tuesday is not just about making a donation its about making a DIFFERENCE. Throughout #GIVINGTUESDAY today we stand together, united with our global community to make a difference. Good Samaritan’s #GIVNGTUESDAY platform is to help raise money for those most in need in the Helena community. As the temperatures drop and the weather gets bad those living on the street are more vulnerable than ever please help make a difference in someone’s life by clicking the link below
Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving, is designed to raise awareness and give people the opportunity to assist those less fortunate than themselves. This year, Giving Tuesday is especially important to Good Samaritan Ministries because we have had to forgo our normal community-based fundraising events. Giving Tuesday provides you a simple platform that can directly help those most in need during these critical and isolating times.
Please consider donating monthly at a low cost, or to create your own fundraising page that you can share with your family and friends. and What you give will go directly into our Assistance Account. You have the power to make a huge impact on someone’s life. Please click the link below or text HELPNEEDS to 44-321 and it will take you directly to Good Samaritan’s Giving Tuesday website.
An AmeriCorps member has been housed!
An AmeriCorps- Montana Conservation Corps member started serving for his term this past fall to help do studies on homes and fire mitigation. He moved from California to Montana to serve and could not find housing right away. He ended up camping for a while and it started getting cold. He knew he needed to find housing before winter began but needed some resources because he was still new to Helena. Matt came to Good Samaritan’s for housing navigation services and was able to get housed after two weeks. Thanks to a private landlord in the community who is opening to taking AmeriCorps members who on average get a net income of $800-$900 a month. Good Samaritan’s great appreciates the collaboration landlords provide to community members serving for their country.
For the safety of all Good Samaritan will be closed today Saturday 10/20 for a snow day
