Advocacy & Referral Services
Advocacy actively addresses both individual needs and complex systemic failings and injustices in the neighborhood and greater Grand Rapids area.
Empowering Neighbors is fundamental to every program but advocacy is a process that begins with our front door; when someone comes to us, they are greeted, their needs discovered and information is made available for urgent personal issues like emergency shelter or food. They are provided with immediate information and resources to stabilize their situation, then invited to meet with an advocacy counselor, often a BSW or MSW intern or volunteer. In these confidential sessions, Neighbors work with the staff to determine and prioritize action steps to resolve their need: for instance obtaining a birth certificate to then apply for a state ID to be able to receive mail and ultimately seek employment. Once needs have been identified, neighbors are referred to agencies or programs where they will find the appropriate support services. Every community resource is made available and they are assisted in applying for the services.
If--as is often true--direct advocacy is necessary, a call is made on behalf of the Neighbor. Staff helps to clear up misunderstanding, cut through bureaucratic red tape or encourage reluctant service providers to work with the Neighbor. This intervention is designed to be constructive, supportive and empowering. It is also designed to help Neighbors understand their options and the implications of choices, always coupled with general information sharing (e.g. if you accept help from such and such agency you may loose these other benefits).
In addition to personal advocacy, the ministry works with local government and community stakeholders to tackle systemic problems like economic development or inadequate access to services like public transportation, health care or affordable housing. The ministry works to inform the public about the humanity of persons struggling with homelessness, mental illness, poverty and addiction through programs such as the Heartside Plunge or involvement in inter-agency initiatives such as the Vision to End Homelessness.