Author: Joe Reuth

Our neighbors we see at Resurrection
House do not fall into one single
category. They make up a wide cross
section of society. What they do have
in common is the need for immediate
help and hope from our community
as they work to deal with their current
situation and seek to rebuild their lives.
They include:

• The situationally homeless, such as those dealing with a job loss, family
  deterioration, or high debt from a variety of circumstances.
• The working poor, unable to secure affordable housing despite employment.
  They utilize our services several times a week while they attempt to transition
  to a housed situation.
• Seniors who cannot make ends meet and are homeless. Over 25% of
  our clients are over the age of 60, and cannot find affordable housing despite
  receiving Social Security and other benefits.
• The chronic homeless, people who have been homeless for more than
  one year to up to many years, often being part of housing programs and
  assistance programs previously. We provide compassion and care and
  continue to work with them to get housed.
• The mentally ill, needing long term care and compassion through permanent
  support house. Close to 40% of our clients fall in this category.
• Those with substance use disorders, needing residential recovery. Our
  estimates are more that 25% of homeless people struggle with substances.
• Veterans, often battling trauma and bureaucratic red tape. We place a very
  high priority on working with partner agencies to get them housed.
  Oftentimes our clients fall into more than one of these categories. Each story
  is unique, and our volunteers and staff meet them where they are as we assist
  them in rebuilding their lives, with dignity, unlimited compassion, and genuine
  caring. Most importantly, our clients know that whatever their situation, hope
  lives here at Resurrection House.

When someone is newly homeless in Sarasota, Resurrection House is
very often their first stop to seek help. After providing a safe respite and
hot meal, one of our trained counselors sits down with the individual to
learn more about their current situation. Our goal is to try to divert the
individual back into a stable, housed situation, such as reuniting them
with family members by contacting and then paying for transportation
back to their family member, or by connecting them to partner agencies
in Sarasota that provide emergency housing.
If a quicker return to housing is not successful, Resurrection House
provides core services such as a day room, hot showers, clothing,
laundry, medical care, and meals in a faith-based setting that is caring
and compassionate. Some client will use our services for a few days and
then we rarely see them again. For clients who become regular users
of our services, we provide an important access point to available housing programs for the homeless
in Sarasota.
Our client advisory specialist then meets with individuals one-on-one and puts together a housing stability
plan based on the client’s situation. Our specialist then helps the client with each step needed to obtain
housing and becomes an advocate so that they don’t fall through the cracks of what is an intimidating and
bureaucratic process.
Resurrection House operates under the philosophy of homeless does not mean helpless for many of our
clients. Helping the homeless get back on their feet is made possible by generous donors like you who
volunteer, donate clothing and hygiene items, and provide financial support for this important work.

Very popular services provided by Resurrection House relate to hygiene. Being able to access private restrooms, brush their teeth, shave, take a warm shower, and then put on a clean set of clothes helps our clients both restore their sense of dignity and allows them to function in society once they leave for the day.

Each day Resurrection House provides approximately 60 showers and 50 loads of laundry to the homeless of Sarasota. The shower and laundry areas are staffed by volunteers throughout the day and the area becomes a beehive of activity, with four showers, 3 commercial washing machines, and 10 commercial clothes dryers all in use nonstop.

“Every day is different: the weather, the mood, the challenges of living outside all shape the day.  One thing stays the same – when we greet our clients with a warm smile, call them by name or remember something they have shared before, their faces brighten. You see a genuine appreciation for what we offer. You hear God bless you or thank you when you treat them with kindness.  We come to serve and are blessed in return,” says Susie Shugg, a longtime volunteer.

Our volunteers come from all walks of life – retired firefighters, architects, executives, nurses – the list is endless. Some are affiliated with area churches and faith communities, and others simply have a heart and desire to be of service to the Sarasota community. What they all have in common is a desire to see the good in people and help those who need a hand up.

“Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor and care for the vulnerable among us. Serving at the Resurrection House is an opportunity to do so in simple, yet powerful ways. We get to see God making a difference in our community,” says Susie.

If you also feel called to help people who need a hand up as they rebuild their lives, please consider volunteering at Resurrection House. Our volunteers not only donate their time but also bring a compassion that is instrumental in providing a nurturing and respectful atmosphere to our clients. To volunteer, please contact Scott Habeck at (941) 365-3758 or email us at volunteers@rhsrq.org