Our current program members share a typical day in their life...

Jennifer Chapman
> Focus On Renewal

A day at Focus On Renewal's community center is never the same as the day before and is never dull. Depending on the time of the week, as many as 100 or more people come through the center's doors over the course of a day. Most mornings (rain or snow, hot or cold), when I am one of the first to arrive at 8 a.m., there are already a small handful of folks waiting out front to be let in for their morning complimentary coffee. Some of the main activities I coordinate as community center manager include: bingo twice a week, food pantry hours twice a week and a daily free lunch.

My most memorable day working at F.O.R., so far, would have to be Inauguration Day. Following the serving of lunch at noon, my supervisor, Sister Sarah Crotty, and I quickly set up some chairs around a small TV; its bunny ears in tune with one solitary channel featuring the much anticipated inauguration ceremony. There were twenty or so others who stuck around to watch, each of them very different than the other. There were African American people and caucasian people, there were seniors and people with disabilities, there were homeless men and women. I can only imagine what an outside observer would have thought of our mix-matched circle. While watching that old TV, I felt as if I truly belonged to something larger, which is sometimes difficult to comprehend while working within a small population like that of McKees Rocks, Pa. Not only did I feel part of a small community, but I also felt that my hard work at the center meant something. I was part of a greater good, a divine good. It was a rare feeling and a day that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Gina Cieslewicz
> Lydia's Place

At Lydia's Place, I have been able to work directly with the incarcerated population by helping case workers in the process of doing 25 intake forms for the ladies placed in the three-quarters house, Renewal, on four different occasions. I have also gone into the Allegheny County Jail twice to aide with parenting classes as well as assisted three mothers with reading books on tape for their children in a program called "Mother's Voice."

Once a month since October, I have helped organize a "Family Fun Event" for caregivers and their children. Approximately 15 families have attended the event with caregivers, kids, and moms (if available). These Saturday events, so far, have included a trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History as well as the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. The trip also included a lunch for the families.

My job also centers around helping the office staff. I have been responsible daily for answering phones, directing clients when they come into the office, and giving out recommendations for resources such as shelter, food, and clothing to about ten people a day. I have helped twice with bulk mailings asking for donations of over five hundred, made a database of over 150 related non-profit organizations and made cold calls to thirty churches to seek help through donation drives.

Jennifer Marasco
> American Red Cross

My morning routine begins at the sound of my alarm at 6:45 a.m. At the American Red Cross, my supervisor is the first to arrive so she and I have our morning chat.  Afterwards, I check e-mails, case files and the client board.  I make follow-up calls to our open cases to hear of any progress.  Other various casework tasks I may do on a given day are answer calls, interview walk ins, update our spreadsheet, enter data into our system, check card balances, call referral agencies and work on the intern handbook I’m creating.  I may get a chance to respond to a daytime disaster, too!  I also answer Service to the Armed Forces calls and assist the volunteer coordinator to increase our volunteer base. 

After work, I eat dinner with my roommates and volunteer as a cat cuddler and dog walker at the Animal Rescue League.

Miriam Shankweiler
> S.O.A.R.
(of Bethleham Haven)

As a program assistant at S.O.A.R., I follow a schedule, but every day is different. I start my shift around 8:00 a.m., relieving the night staff. I get the keys and find out if anything happened overnight. Breakfast clean up is at 9:00 and lunch runs from 11:00 to 12:30. In the afternoon, there is either snack or a group, and on Wednesdays, the 902 clinic stops by and the residents have a chance to talk to a psychiatrist.

The rest of the day is played by ear. I open doors and cabinets, record when medicines are taken and help out with fire drills. Some days, I vacuum and other days I run donations or mail to Miryams, another program of Bethlehem Haven. A day at work really means doing whatever needs to be done, so that the residents are safe and empowered to build a better life while living with a mental illness.

This takes me to the most important part of my job: the residents! My boss encourages me to spend at least 15 minutes each day with each resident, discussing how they are doing and supporting healthy habits. I am there for them, and together we strive for a healthy community.

Amanda Smolenski
> Refugee Services at Catholic Charities

Every day at the Refugee Services Program of Catholic Charities is different. Some days I accompany clients to appointments, and other days I spend time in the office filing paperwork or scheduling appointments. Some days I do a little of both. No matter what I spend the day doing, I enjoy it.

For our last retreat, we went to Big Laurel Learning Center in Kermit, W.V. where we helped with the chores and tasks that needed to be done. Among the chores I helped with were moving wood and logs, helping to paint window trim and putting together a bench. I enjoyed my time helping the people in the community there and learning about Appalachia.

Tessa Winkler
> Jewish Family and Children's Service's Refugee Program

As a caseworker in Jewish Family and Children's Service's Refugee Program, each day is filled with its own unique challenges and blessings. Whether collecting donations, organizing move-ins for new arrivals or accompanying families to various appointments, my service with JF&CS allows me to experience all stages of the resettlement process with clientele that truly appreciate the value of each day. Working to improve the lives of marginalized Nepalis, Burmese and Iraqis, I view my daily service as a step toward ending human rights abuses abroad and strengthening intercultural understanding domestically. The staff at JF&CS and I advocate for Pittsburgh's global community to assure refugees access to medical and food assistance, employment services and available resources.

Although these aspects of my day are truly rewarding, to me, the best parts of my service cannot be measured in welfare benefits or donated clothing. While teaching our clients to attain self sufficiency, I, too, have learned invaluable lessons. As I conclude my year as a Change a Heart member, I no longer feel ashamed to say "Namaste" with a "Pittsburghese" accent when meeting a Bhutanese, and I have learned to recognize the surprise on Iraqis' faces when they see women shake hands with men for the first time. These aspects of my job allow me to go to bed each night with gratitude for my life as an American and for my work and the motivation to wake up every morning with anticipation for the day ahead.