A Day in the Life of Journey’s Shelter Director
No two days in Shelter are alike. The only thing you know for certain walking through the doors of the Shelter is that you will be helping other human beings work through one of the hardest things one can experience. It all starts with a call.
At Journey Center our 24-Hour Helpline receives over 600 calls per month. Shelter beds being one of the most sought-after resources we receive on the Helpline; saying “our shelter is currently at capacity” has become a daily phrase none of us will ever get used to saying. The tears, the uncertainty and the fear are unprecedented. But the reality is there is more need than resources for survivors of domestic violence and abuse.
When we are able to take in a new survivor, they arrive via police escort. We greet them and their children at the door. Usually met with a timid and unsure “Hello”; we provide a Shelter tour, all the while assuring the survivor they have made the right choice, as scary as it may seem. Survivors are taken to their rooms where they will likely be placed with another survivor. If you can imagine how it must feel to know you’ll be sleeping just feet away from someone you don’t know.
But to watch survivors bloom, to watch them become more empowered by the day as they are linked with support and resources, it makes all the hard days worth it. Seeing the relief on a survivor’s face when we tell them we can help with furniture, housing, get connected to mental health care, utility deposits, or other needed services; watching them gain their freedom one piece at a time makes this job one of the most fulfilling in the world.
Once a client finds housing, we help them prepare for the transition. You can usually tell when the housing process is coming to its conclusion by an excited announcement and the fellow survivor’s cheers. Then we get the honor of taking them to their new home, their new beginning.
When survivors enter Shelter, they need a lot: financial assistance, new bank accounts, new cell phones, clothing, ID documents, and so much more. But what they need the most is love and support. At Journey Center’s Emergency Shelter, we pride ourselves on providing a loving, trauma informed environment to our survivors as they heal. We use our resources to empower our survivors in the way they see fit. Advocacy is being in a stable place to hold the rope to pull others up. That is what we do at Journey Center shelter every single day.
Journey Center's Shelter served 160 adults and children in 2023 who were seeking a safe and violence-free life. We are thankful for advocates, like Sam, who provide a safe, supportive environment.
We are always here for you when you need to talk. Call or text our 24-Hour Helpline: 216.391.4357 (HELP) or live chat.