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Camillus House News
Volunteering is alive, hip... and a click away
November 13, 2008
by Veronica Montali
Michelle and Roger are making a difference every time they put on a Camillus apron.
MIAMI – The line inside the Courtyard starts in the early hours of the afternoon. There are benches and cover from the sun and rain for the men and women who are homeless and hungry in downtown Miami. A police car is parked outside; the officer is enjoying the shade and conversation.
In the kitchen, Rose or Diedra, depending on the day, command a staff of Camillus House volunteers, current clients and graduates of the Institute of Social and Personal Adjustment (ISPA is a nine-month drug & alcohol recovery program), and professional cooks preparing food, setting up trays, napkins and plastic utensils. Their prep work will mean a hot, nutritious, filling meal for up to 350. Most are chronically homeless. Some have just found themselves on the streets.
There is small talk, questions being asked but hardly any loud noise. Everyone is focused and seems familiar with the routine. Volunteers start setting up at the serving line; clients get the dining tables ready.
By 6:15 pm, the line has split, and those who are a bit slower, frail, and need extra time to eat, are first at the door. If you happen to make eye contact with anyone here, you’ll likely “see” their gratefulness. And get hugged.
It takes six pairs of hands to man the serving line, each pair to an item. This evening, it’s yellow rice, salad, green beans, pork and a muffin for dessert. Rose signals “okay” with a wink, and it’s a go: two clients and four volunteers set the line in motion.
Among them and very much “on task” is Michelle Martinez. It’s Friday night, but the 22- year-old FIU student doesn’t want the weekend to begin before completing her weekly commitment. She’s been at it for 11 months. She believes, “one person can make a difference,” and puts her philosophy into practice. “I come here, I serve food: I make a difference,” she says. It’s as simple as that.
Michelle is a PR Major and already working at her own shoe customization business startup named STEPPAZ. She and business partner Roger McGregor volunteer together, in part because she feels a little nervous about coming by herself. (Overhearing this, tonight’s two other volunteers, female nursing students serving next to them in the line; nod.)
When at work taking online orders from their young, hip clientèle at the STEPPAZ office north of the city, Michelle and Roger remind each other of their weekly pledge.
Michelle and Roger are shown here serving one of the hundreds of meals they served on this night.“There are so many people who’d like to help, but a lot of times they don’t know how. I heard about Camillus from a friend and took a moment to visit their website,” Michelle offers. “I applied online and got approval to begin. After 11 months, I’ve seen a lot of turnover, there are many here on a journey to get better.”
One by one, the diners pick up their trays and continue along to the dining hall, where Samson and five other men, all ISPA clients, serve them water and assist in making sure everyone gets a seat.
“It’s easy to give money. But being here is the ultimate experience for me,” says Roger, 43, a Jamaican and former cruise ship industry executive turned entrepreneur. Life has been good for him, so volunteering is all about giving back. “It’s a great way to live your life,” he adds.
Roger and Michelle have made special friends here. One of them is Luis who graduated from the ISPA program. After meeting Roger while serving in the line together, Luis asked Roger to be his mentor. Roger agreed and is proud to serve as role model in Luis’ recovery journey. From time to time, Luis gets hired by STEPPAZ to work unloading containers, warehousing and packing pallets of shoes.
As Roger finishes describing his work here, the food line comes to an end. In the dining hall, tables start to empty, trays are collected and will be washed for the next meal at the Courtyard. Women, some of them with children, leave. The men who will stay for the night at the facility’s 43-bed enclosed overnight shelter are quietly reading in bed, chatting amicably in groups or listening to music.
Roger, tall and athletic, is removing the mandatory apron, cap and gloves. “They can be any of us. They need help to bounce back. They are afraid, so we need to encourage them,” says Roger referring to those surrounding us .
Their involvement with Camillus has expanded beyond the food line where they assist to the online realm. Recently, Michelle found out about a community program set up by Staples, the office supply chain, where local businesses compete to direct as many of their own customers to the Staples website as possible. In exchange, Staples makes a cash donation to the winning business’ favorite charity.
Applying her freshly acquired Public Relations skills, Michelle entered STEPPAZ and Camillus House as the charity of choice and proceeded to call on friends, family and clientele asking them to visit Staples on line to gain points. She even placed a link in the company’s MySpace page, next to samples of the sparkling Swarovski crystals-clad Converse shoes they sell. Although the prize went to a different participant, both STEPPAZ and Camillus House gained visibility among the South Florida younger crowds.
After some hugs and waves from the regulars, Roger walks the lady volunteers to their parked cars outside. “I always leave with a smile in my face,” says Roger.
Michelle and Roger point out that they are looking forward to the opening of the new Ocean Bank Dining Center at the New Camillus House Center, which broke ground recently and is set to open in 2010. They comment of how it’ll be nice and lit, more functional and eco-friendly.
Having done their part, the shoe entrepreneurs and aspiring nurses take off. Will they join the Friday night hip Miami scene later? Maybe, “times are tough, you’ve got to think twice about going out,” they say.
Whatever else becomes of their night, the time at Camillus House will have been time well spent, making a difference for people who are grateful that someone’s there to help get them through their toughest time.
