Touring Episcopal Community Services
by: Hannah Miller, Communications Assistant for the Office of the Bishop
Alyssa Osian, Marketing Director for Episcopal Community Services, gave me a tour of their downtown facilities. We started off at Uptown Safe Haven, which is across the street from St. Paul's Cathedral. I walked up the steps of a dilapidated apartment building with mounting trepidation. I got the feeling this wasn't going to be a light-hearted tour. As I stepped inside, I was greeted with the smell of strong air freshener and a quiet woman sitting behind the desk. She graciously gave us a tour of the building, pointing out the common areas where residents can use the phone and watch TV. She led us onto the back patio and with harsh noonday sun pouring down, said that one of their wish list items was patio furniture so people would have somewhere to sit in the concrete, outdoor area. As I looked around, I imagined a few potted plants in this tiny patio and thought about the goodness that simple beauty provides.
Our tour guide explained that this is a transitional, 18-month program for homeless people who want to get back on their feet. The haven provides shelter, food, job training and job placement. As we walked down the rickety stairs, we saw a big, white van pull up. An energetic man bounded into the kitchen with hot food for everyone. He was from the offices of Episocpal Community Services.
I left feeling grateful for people like the food man who bring energy and life to this otherwise dismal place. I also felt convicted because I sensed that somehow the dignity of the people living in this place could be bolstered by minimal contributions on my part.
We continued our tour at Friend to Friend, a clubhouse located in the heart of downtown San Diego. The clubhouse sits right across the street from a high-rise condo complex. Inside, I encountered street people helping other street people. The clubhouse is run by homeless people who have gone through the ECS program and are now employed there. Some volunteer their time, too. Mental illness is a prerequisite for receiving access to the clubhouse where people can shower, watch movies and receive help with everything from securing social security income to finding a job.
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This facility felt more upbeat than the Uptown Safe Haven simply because it was lighter and had high ceilings. One client had painted the walls a bright blue and put up trees of hope with people's names written on leaf-hands. Then we stepped into the bathroom. Our tour guide said that because people shower virtually all day long, the room never has a chance to dry out. There is only one working bathroom for an average daily volume of about fifty people. The shower in the second bathroom is broken, but the toilet works.
Our last stop was at Downtown Safe Haven. By far the most attractive of the locations, this three-story multi-building complex is painted grey-blue and is adorned by sculptured hedges and agapanthus. There is even a serenity garden with rose bushes and a birdbath in the back courtyard. This tour guide explained that people here also receive services for 18 months as they figure out how to live inside, cook, receive social security and look for jobs.
I walked away with from these tours with mixed feelings. While I felt some hope knowing these facilities exist at all and that the Episcopal community supports them, I also had a deep sense of discomfort. Thoughts ran through my head: I live such a cushy life! I don't volunteer enough. I could buy patio furniture. These are the people Jesus ministered to. ECS is ministering to these people. How can I help? I don't expect I ever will have answers, but I was grateful to Alyssa for bringing me to these places, for afflicting my comfortability and for working to promote awareness about Episcopal Community Services.
Wishlist for Friend to Friend Clubhouse
To find out how you can help, or to arrange a tour, please contact Alyssa: aosian@ecscalifornia.org or 619-228-2800.