My official day at work: day 2

I think I am liking this day more and more. It's my second day here at champa and Wednesdays are different from the rest of the days. I don't come in until 2pm and I leave at 10. It's different because I don't do the child sitting that I do MTH&F. I come in and while staff is in a meeting I sit and answer phones calls that come in referring to interest in the program, donations, volunteers, etc. I also am able to answer the door for people who either need to get into the house or who are here for orientation, to fix things, etc. It's nice to be in a different kind of pace. To do something that I haven't done before and to help in a way that may sometimes seem more tangible is nice.

So far, in the last 20 minutes I have answered a total of 4 phone calls and I think I've done pretty well with them!

Let me tell you a little bit about the program that I am working with.
(CH) is a part of the (DRM). CH is for women 18 years and older who have children under the age of 12 that struggle with poverty and homelessness. It is a long term transitional housing program that can last between 1 to 2 years. Some of the program goals here at CH are furthering education, gaining and improving on life skills, securing a job and growing spiritually.

I really like this program becuase when women come here, they have to pay a fee monthly, $90 for the women and $30 for each child. If the women complete the program, they get back every dollar of money that they put in here. This is a really cool thing when you learn the rest of the story. The cool thing about CH and the (NLP) is that when the ladies [in Champa's case] graduate, they are thrown a party, receive help in finding an apartment, get to go to the Mission's warehouse and pick out furniture and anything else they need to make their apartment a home, PLUS they get a free CAR!

DRM & CH just strive to do all that they can do to make sure that the women who graduate out of this program are able to become self-sufficient women for their children. It is something that is kind of radical. Never have I heard of program that does this, though I could just be uninformed. Whatever it is, I think this program is fantastic.


Well, it's back to work!

Blessings