When we talk about doing benevolence better - for striving beyond the handout to lasting change, we are often met with a resistance: "are you suggesting that we ignore short-term needs and don't help people?"
This is the tyranny of the "or." Now, we understand resources are limited. All the same, at Charity Reimagined, we are insistent
that we are BOTH called to meet immediate needs AND we are called to do so in a way that will generate lasting change
: meet the need but involve the recipient in rewriting their own story and thereby catalyze true freedom and transformation.
Our fantastic partner, Heritage Health Street Medicine
(SMCO), is a wonderful example of what it means to address needs and
intentionally work to make sure there are practices in place that foster long-term development.
Chris Green, Clinic Director at Heritage Health, shared how back in 2007, Street Medicine served the homeless by taking a mobile clinic to encampments in the CDA area. As encampments declined, the mobile service continued and people received medical care, but nearly everyone came for immediate medical care and were never seen again.
Chris took over in 2023, and he dove into what a deeper focus on what "whole person wellness" could look like for the homeless population they served.
As Chris put it:
"When you are coming off the streets, there are many barriers you face. Your main concern is where you're going to sleep tonight, when you will eat again, how do I keep from freezing tonight? Your healthcare? That's #437 on the list of concerns."
So how do you engage this population in a way that can lead to lasting change? How do you build their trust?
SMCO still treats broken arms, infections, and UTIs, but they have intentionally changed their programming to draw patients into deeper relationship, to help them move beyond their immediate needs to identify deeper, causal barriers
.
One initiative that Charity Reimagined, through Christmas for All Year
, has had the opportunity to partner with them in is their phone program
. SMCO has developed a phone voucher system that has enabled them to draw clients into a place where they can walk alongside them.
Here's how it works
: their voucher system requires each person requesting a phone to complete an outreach intake, setting a plan for goals with small steps and supports for accomplishing goals, and to sign up for medical and mental health services. When it comes time to apply for a phone, they meet with Chris to complete the Lifeline Application which verifies they have current SNAP and Medicaid benefits. Patients pay a $15 copay (20%) that is covered by SMCO if they are completely broke. When the SIM card comes in the mail, the patient comes back to review their goal plan, discuss barriers, and put a phone case on to protect their phone.
In Chris's words: "The carrot of having a phone is bringing new people into our clinic that we have not traditionally been able to motivate to come." The phones are a win-win that are being met with great success.
While it may seem simple to own a phone, it truly opens doors that are vital to stability. After completing the phone process, some of the things clients are now able to do include:
- Keep up with appointments
- Reconnect with friends and family
- Share deeper mental health needs with SMCO staff
- Apply for jobs (something nearly impossible without a phone!)
With this foundation in place, many are able to take the next steps toward housing and the holistic healthcare needed to overcome the obstacles they face.
SMCO is watching people land jobs within days of receiving their phones because they finally have the missing piece. Families who lose housing are being connected to the support resources they need while they get back on their feet. In one amazing story, an 87-year-old woman now has a home for the first time after decades of living out of her car. The stories go on and on - all because SMCO identified a barrier to long-term development and implemented it in an intentional, relational way.
Because SMCO has determined to BOTH meet short-term needs AND facilitate lifelong transformation, they are witnessing countless lives change.
If you'd like to start a conversation about how to implement effective compassion in your organization, we'd love to connect. Reach out to us here
.
