If you’re looking for a rewarding opportunity I highly recommend volunteering.

My place to go is the homeless shelters. There are so many interesting stories from a diversified group of people there. Many of them have not had the opportunity to tell their story. And they all have one — just like us.

Of course not all want to share. However, many do. Just to be acknowledged is a gift to them. Trust is a big issue and that takes time and patience. And I have both at this time in my life. I could have used more of that when raising my children, but we all survived anyway!

There are many other service providers, including churches, who need volunteers. But this piece will focus on shelters.

Volunteering to serve or assist with making meals is always a fun experience. You can interact with the guests there establishing contact and some dignity for them. There are always a variety of people in need of a meal, from young to elderly to handicapped to families. It’s a good time for all to have a positive time chatting and having a good meal.

There is a difference, of course, between the high barrier and low barrier population. So you get to see both sides and diversity as all populations have. That makes it more interesting and a chance to have some hands on experience and learn about the challenges they endure.

Again, the majority in my experience have a mental illness. Not all mentally ill use drugs or are violent. In my experience, I have not seen any violence here. Sometimes its hard to know the difference between the mentally ill and chronic drug users as they can present with psychosis, delirium and unacceptable behavior that can be mistaken for mental illness.

I cannot repeat enough mental illness is never a choice, but it can change behavior as many other illnesses do.

I remember one man at the high barrier shelter who was just a delight. He helped others who were in wheelchairs or had trouble holding plates or drinks to their table. They had a choice to sit anywhere. Families had a separate dining room and we served both dining rooms.

People had a choice of what was offered, sort of buffet style. The interaction felt so comfortable. Doing something for those considered “less than” for me is such an honor. I love when there is no inappropriate attitude and judgement from any of the volunteers or guests. Atmosphere was happy and had a good vibe and it was very social, as it should be.

I have also volunteered at the low barrier shelter. I served lunches and dinners there. Lunch was sandwiches, fruit, chips and other various snacks. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. Couples, singles, families and dogs were all invited. We had dogfood for them to take with them. Oftentimes, volunteers would make dinner and bring it in. There was no kitchen. When pizza was provided, it always proved to be a hit.

The group there was interesting as usual. I heard some conversations between two very smart young people. I found out they were attending college and were living in a small van. They couldn’t afford rent and didn’t have any family to help with finances.

Yes, some guests were on drugs. But everyone got along.

There didn’t seem to be any judgement from any of the guests to others there, which is common. The interaction between the guests is usually about making new friends and catching up with old ones. All are homeless. It is a community unto itself. A true subculture. Some camps have guards and a political system.

I hope my experiences give a little insight to shelters and start conversations about the plight of the mentally ill and addicted. And I hope they give insight into their families and our wider society. We continue to do the same thing in managing this crisis and get the same result.

I wish I had an answer. I don’t. But do have some ideas.

Thank you to all the volunteers who give time to whatever the needs are in our community. Your time is more valuable than you can imagine. And for me, it’s good therapy. I always feel so good when I leave. And I made new friends. Perfect!