ROC & A Hard Place
Client: “Makes me so happy to see you guys! I was wondering where y’all have been.”
Client: “I’m so glad you all chased me down. To be honest, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you all some of these days.”
Client: “I’m sorry for unloading that whole rant on to you all. You all have nothing to do with that.”
ROC Member: “Do you need a hug? Also, we are glad we were here to listen. It’s obvious you needed someone to hear you. And also, here are these sack lunches. They are for you.”
Client: “While I am so sick of being out here, it really is the highlight of my week when you all stop by to see me and talk to me.”
Client (Outside Of A Grocery Store): “Thank you for stopping to talk to me. It really helps me feel like I am sane and not going insane.”
Client: “So I have to leave from this spot. Do you all have any advice on where I can go?”
ROC Member: “Honestly the best advice we can give you is to look to go deeper into the woods. The folks who have done that seem to be able to stay put for longer. If you go deeper, so will we. We won’t stop coming out to you and caring about you.”
ROC Member: “We haven’t really seen a lot of people today, but it has been nice to really take our time with each one.”
Client: “What is that? Milk?”
ROC Member: “No, it’s half & half.”
Client: “Well, that’s good enough! That tastes so good right now. The closest we are going to get to milk out here.”
Client: (Crying/Screaming Into The Wilderness Alone After Having Been Punched In The Face By Their Boyfriend)
ROC Member: “I’m so sorry! That is so awful, and you don’t deserve to be treated that way! Would you like a hug?”
Client: “Yes!”
A lot has happened over the past few weeks that has halted many efforts to house those experiencing homelessness that we are currently engaged with. A plan had been put into motion where 20 housing units of various sizes had been set aside for clients that we see on a regular basis. We began having conversations with these clients about this potential opportunity, many of whom have waited for such an opportunity for years. We began encouraging all of them to work on collecting their necessary documents, as far as their IDs, Social Security cards, and birth certificates. After talking to almost all of the ones we anticipated would be referred for this, all issuance of any new housing vouchers from the Chattanooga Housing Authority was halted due to the federal freeze on all federal grant-funded projects. Currently it is anticipated there will be no new housing vouchers issued through the year of 2025. We are hoping to hear a more positive projection than this on March 29th.
It has been very difficult and uncomfortable to now have to go back to these clients, who we were hopeful would be housed soon, and explain the best we can not only what has happened but also why it has happened. We ourselves don’t have the clearest explanations of what and why. There have been various reactions to this news from our clients. Reactions ranging from sharing the same confusion we are feeling, expressing concern for the future existence of jobs and livelihoods since most ROC members’ positions with their employers are funded through federal grants as well, and feelings of overwhelming sadness at the sudden shift of expectations of how much longer they must suffer surviving outside.
With our avenues of assisting clients through the process of obtaining housing being stripped away, we at the ROC have been reeling. It has been a struggle to realize what it is that we can still offer that matters, without the hope of housing. These statements from clients recorded above have highlighted the power of our presence and the impact it makes. This is something that can easily be forgotten. While we may not currently have the steps out, we will now take steps closer in. We will continue to lean on our core values of Consistency, Compassion, and Connection.
We will continue to be consistent with our presence.
We will continue to be compassionate with our presence.
We will continue to make deeper emotional connections with the use of our presence.
We will continue to make our presence known through this platform and transparently portray and speak about the present struggles of those resiliently surviving while unsheltered in Hamilton County.
We are a R.O.C. that is in a hard place right now, but it is the hard places that we will continue to stand in. While standing there will also be more listening, sitting with, hurting for, aiding, supplying, encouraging, patience, hugging, conversation, caring, and reaching out!
Federal funding may be frozen, but this ROC keeps on rollin!!
#ROCAndAHardPlace
#PowerOfPresence
#ROCAndRoll
