09/15/2026
Things change. Sometimes that change is forced upon us and sometimes we make that choice. As much as we may say change is good, we certainly seem to push back against it or steer clear of it whenever possible.
Our community has changed over the past twenty years. We look and sound different. People have moved into our community from places spanning the entire planet. Some needs have remained fairly steadfast, while others have changed dramatically. Companies and various resources have moved in and out and it feels as if that change is happening more frequently.
From a social work perspective, I don't know that we've embraced change very well. More specifically, it feels as if our community could benefit from stepping back to assess what is and is not working. We need to ask ourselves what we are really trying to accomplish. Because sometimes, it feels as if our intentions are preventative, but our actions remain far more reactive, than anything else.
For example, many organizations, including Resources Unite, provide food for people in need. From volunteers to churches to established organizations, literal tons of food are distributed in our community monthly. If our goal is simply to provide food for people in need, we are doing pretty well. We could improve outreach to the most marginalized and continue to provide healthier options, but for the most part, people are not going to bed hungry. But what are we doing to actively help people avoid needing food pantries in the future? How are we helping create more independence?
This reminds me of the well-known story about people working frantically to rescue drowning victims downstream, until someone finally decides to walk upstream to find out why people keep falling in.
Think about domestic and sexual violence. This is a major public health issue, impacting what feels like nearly every woman and child in our community. We refer people on a weekly basis to the domestic violence shelter and the various other resources that provide support from here to Plattevile to Clinton and beyond. Don't get me wrong, people are getting support—or as much support as can be provided from a limited amount of resources—but what are we actually doing upstream? What are we doing to prevent this from happening in the first place? Not enough. And that's an understatement, to say the least. We need to talk to boys and men about how to be a man without abusing or degrading women and girls. Boys and men need to be given permission to express themselves in ways that are far healthier than anger and silence.
The topic of homelessness has been in our news lately. The Rescue Mission is closing one of its thrift stores to expand its ability to shelter more people. This is great. Without question. I also love to see how the Rescue Mission and Opening Doors are working together in this effort. For a variety of reasons, we continue to see more and more people without a home, relying on someone's couch, a shelter, a car or campground for a place to live.
I was driving down Jackson Street the other day and noticed a woman we've known for years. She's been living in Opening Doors' permanent supportive housing program within their Francis Apartments. I pulled over and offered her a ride to work. She shared as we drove that she is getting ready to move and be completely independent. I remember how many times she had been in and out of the Theresa Shelter. It was so good to see how far she has come. She's doing it.
When we see articles about the rise of homelessness, we must certainly support the sheltering side of them, but we must also ask how we can help organizations secure more permanent supportive housing options as well. Because as we all know, preventing homelessness isn't achieved by building more shelters. We must be willing to invest in the heavier lift required to address homelessness's root causes.
We live in a world where things change overnight. We wake up, go through the motions and the next thing you know, a year has passed—or twenty. Let's make sure we take the time to step back and create strategies for real, lasting change in our community where we spend more time upstream.
