What makes a difference?
The arena in downtown Anchorage has been turned into a shelter…I am struck by how orderly it all appears considering there are hundreds of people in need of shelter currently living there. Those in need are registered and given a bunk number, a woman out front is reminding others of the designated smoking area and identification is required to enter the facility. It's different than anything I have ever seen. It is obvious that some are physically ill, some are mentally ill, and some are down on their luck. The situation and amount of need is sad, but the mood isn't. People smile, wave and tell you to have a good day. They seem legitimately happy to see you.
Later that day I attend a dog sledding race called the Fur Rondy. Here I notice that despite being just a short distance away from a shelter you don’t see people panhandling, there are no people with cardboard signs asking for money and there are not people going through the garbage for food...it’s a sharp contrast to other big cities I have been in, including home. I am not sure what makes it different, if the homeless are more accepting of what their lives are like, if there are more resources available or some other factor but people seem more adaptable and more resilient.
It is certainly not to say that the sheer number of homeless people is not concerning, it definitely is. The arena holds close to 500. The number of homeless is estimated to be three to six times that number according to Alaska News. We visited two other homeless shelters that also appeared at capacity and the line for meals outside of the shelter wraps around the building. But despite these neighbors I don’t find myself afraid or fearful, just exercising good sense. It is so different.
The Assertive Community Treatment in Anchorage serves those diagnosed with Bipolar or Schizophrenia disorders. The team offers case management, medication management, assistance with housing and employment. It surprises me that the team knows all of the clients and makes all efforts to know where they are sleeping at any given time. They offer group therapy. They know if the clients are hospitalized and definitely strive to keep them connected to services and resources. The office serves as a hub for medications and long acting injectables that help keep them as stable as possible. The goal is to keep the clients out of the correctional system and the hospitals and from my observations to treat the clients with dignity and humanity. The work is both inspiring and heartbreaking. It would be easy to get overwhelmed and think that the problem is just too big but looking at the smaller accomplishments the difference can be observed.
I find myself very at home doing this work and feel compelled to learn all I can while I am here. I am reminded of the idea that we are all one hardship away from complete financial disaster…a hospitalization for a physical or mental illness, the loss of a job, a traumatic event, or the death of a partner. Yes, sometimes people make choices that lead them to their circumstances; drugs, violence, crimes, or laziness but many have other stories to tell; a life of trauma, physical violence, mental illness, loss or incredible human suffering and in those instances, there is opportunity to solve problems and change outcomes.