By: Sydney Quillian, Community Action House Marketing Intern

I hadn’t spent much time with the folks from the Outreach team prior to joining them for their Day of Remembrance discussion. They spend most of their time out connecting with the community, so seeing them around the office is a rare pleasure. Each of these team members has a genuine kindness in their heart that is almost tangible upon meeting them. 

As we sat down in their cozy space, the team chatted and told stories of their day until the meeting started, at which point the mood became somber. We all knew why we were gathered - to remember those in our community who have been lost due to a system that allows our unhoused neighbors to fall through the cracks. This system may not remember our neighbors, but we do. We recognize the obstacles they overcame, and we say their names and remember their faces because they were our neighbors and a part of our community. 

Every individual in our community who was lost while living outdoors last year was remembered by the Outreach Team. Each person was recognized with an empathy that is rare to find, highlighting the humanity of each person.

“They cared so deeply about their kids.”

“As we left their camp for the night, they always told me to be safe and for me to stay warm.” 

“Even through their hardship, they always had a smile on their face.” 

These are the things our Outreach Team saw in our neighbors. While this was a hard day, our team was able to honor these individuals by sharing how their personal lives had been touched by these individuals in an unforgettable way. Although their stories ended far too soon, I saw how they spurred our team onward to continue their endless work in our community. 

There were so many emotions circulating during this Day of Remembrance. Sorrow for the loss of such precious life. Helplessness in feeling that our team’s efforts aren’t enough to help everyone. And also, hope. Hope because our community makes the decision every day to support the Outreach Team’s work. Hope because our team was able to touch people’s lives when there may not have been an opportunity to do so before. 

Community Action House is supported by the community, and in turn provides a network of support for our neighbors who need it most. This is the hope that we hold onto moving into the new year, knowing that we can draw on their stories as inspiration to connect with others in a meaningful way, and to choose to see the humanity in our neighbors every day.