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OPCC Forum by The Rev. Joyce Stickney & John Maceri The OPCC Executive Director, John Maceri, visited us on Sunday, June 22 to share about OPCC. A short video gave us a glimpse of the various programs and the clients served by them. We are invited (including our young people) to volunteer individually or corporately, organizing clothing drives, working in the food pantry, facilitating workshops, doing administrative tasks, etc., the list of opportunities is long. John is interested in coming back to visit with us if there are some people who would like to be involved with this outreach. Here are some words from him … "On my recent visit to your church, I was struck by the sincerity of the questions I was asked about our work here at OPCC, and about homeless people. It was clear to me that people were really interested in the root causes of the problem - poverty, untreated mental illness and addiction - as opposed to blaming or judging others less fortunate. It's easy to assume that all homeless people are lazy or want to be on the streets. If it's `their' fault then we as a society don't have to assume any responsibility. They choose their circumstances. They could change if they really wanted to. They must enjoy being homeless or they'd get a job and get off the streets. The fact is I've never met a homeless person, and I've met hundreds, who really enjoyed being scorned or ignored. Homeless people, like all of us, have a strong instinct to survive and adapt. Life on the streets is brutal and dehumanizing. After awhile people loose hope of their life ever being any different and they adapt to their surroundings. Hopelessness is a common theme in the conversations I've had with so many of our clients. `I stopped caring about myself' or `life didn't matter that much' are all too familiar to those who have almost given up. What's the point of trying if you constantly get kicked down? Fortunately, there is hope. The fog of addiction or untreated mental illness can be wiped away with the right combination of support and treatment. The feelings of despair can be overcome by a sense of accomplishment that comes with improved self-esteem. The chance to live indoors again as part of a community with others who share a common purpose and support one another, is a powerful tool in restoring dignity. The things most of us take for granted, a home, family, and spiritual support, are things many of our clients must rediscover and learn to accept. I appreciated the opportunity to share some of our experiences and answer questions about the complexities facing the people we serve. Thank you to all of you who warmly welcomed me and took the time to learn more about OPCC and the work we do to empower people to rebuild their lives." Please feel free to call me or John at (310) 264-6646 x 229.
Copyright © 2003 St. Augustine by-the-Sea
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