10/11/2026
Sometimes I get frustrated that it's not enough to just do good work, and serve my community well. We have to be SEEN doing it to be supported. My community is people who would rather not be seen, and the community would rather not see them either to be honest. So it takes a lot of extra effort to make sure people know what we do. Rest assured just cuz we aren't posting everyday, or doing something as big as a tour, doesn't mean we aren't doing great things.
We serve our community to serve our community. Because it needs to be done. We work to work ourselves out of a job. Our job should not need to exist. No one should need our services. We don't do it to save lives, we are not that powerful. We don't do it for the "thank you for all you do". We don't do it for the pictures, the news articles, the fundraisers, we don't do it to soothe our own pain.
We do it because people are worthy, period. Their worth is inherent. Their entitlement to dignity and respect is inherent. Dignity, respect and basic needs being met is not earned it's a given. Until our institutions, our culture, and our economy reflect that we will be over here working. Not putting on a performance of working. But until that day.....we will still have to be seen doing the work occasionally to make sure we can keep going. I resent that that is part of growing an organization but I have accepted it.
If that resonates with you, I'd love to chat. I love to find my people!
-Patti Heffernan Executive Director
