Mental health and wellness are not just client issues, they are workforce issues

While May is often recognized for celebrating mothers and graduates, it is also Mental Health Awareness Month. I knew coming into this month that this message would focus on mental health. As we near the end of the month, this message feels even more important than it did at the beginning. I write this after intentionally taking an extra day away from work over the Memorial Day weekend. It wasn’t planned, nor was I facing an emergency, but I realized I needed an extra day to reset and care for myself.

Working in the field of homelessness and housing, especially with families, mental health and wellness are paramount to our work. Every day, we provide critical case management, connection, and resources to help mitigate the trauma that unstable housing can have on both children and adults. These efforts directly impact brain development, school readiness, and long-term housing stability.

At the same time, we do not always focus enough attention on how this work affects those providing the support. Exposure to chronic stress, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, PTSD, and burnout can take a significant toll on staff working so closely with families in crisis. This, in turn, directly impacts the families we are serving. 

In addition to the emotional toll this work can take, staff are continually balancing growing demands, shifting public policy, and restricted funding, all while striving to remain present for both the families we serve and our own families at home. Too often, secondary trauma and burnout become normalized in this field, regardless of role.

The reality is that the work of ending homelessness and supporting families in crisis is both meaningful and demanding. It shouldn’t be debilitating. But awareness alone is not enough if intentional action and policy shifts are not forthcoming. As the number of unhoused families increases, we must be prepared, as a community, to meet the demand adequately and sustainably.

What would help? Greater willingness from public and private funders to invest not only in programs, but also in the people doing this work every day. Salaries, benefits, mental health support, and professional development are not simply overhead costs; they are essential to sustaining healthy organizations and strong outcomes for families.

This work will always be challenging, but I remain hopeful. Every day, I witness dedicated professionals showing up with compassion, resilience, and determination. By investing in the well-being of our teams, we strengthen our ability to serve families and sustain our mission until the day when Families Moving Forward is no longer needed.

Volunteers make my heart sing

April is a month where we celebrate and recognize so many important causes—such as Autism awareness, stress awareness, and financial literacy, all of which intersect daily with our work in homeless services. Yet, each year, the celebration that always excites me is Volunteer Appreciation Month.

This month, we were honored to host our annual Rock the Block event in the same month we acknowledge and celebrate our amazing volunteers. It was an incredible day, bringing together friends, neighbors, and partners to beautify our grounds and facility. I was assigned to greeting everyone and agree — probably safest to keep me away from paintbrushes and shovels! 

There is something truly energizing about welcoming so many generous, community-minded individuals who choose to spend their Saturday giving back. It is hard to capture in words the feeling that comes over me when folks leave the comfort of their homes to create an inviting and welcoming temporary home for so many families.

I feel the sense of gratitude in the “quieter” moments too,  walking out of my office in the evening and seeing the smiling faces of our rotational volunteers serving dinner and Study Buddies encouraging our little ones to read, solve a problem, or finish the sentence.  These moments, big and small, remind me just how deeply our community cares.

Whatever the cause, my gratitude is the same—genuine and profound—for those who invest the precious commodities of time and hearts into our beloved shelter, families, and community.

If you have not had an opportunity to join us this year,  we would love to have you spend an hour or two reminding our families how much their neighbors care for them. Whether you enjoy cleaning and organizing, gardening, or hosting a special event, there is truly something for everyone.

They May Rise - Reflections on Women's History Month

Many who know me personally, and know about my story, understand that my childhood was not easy. However, I know my past shaped who I am today and has given me a perspective, purpose, and passion to lead Families Moving Forward. 

While there are many reasons one might point to when considering my ability to overcome, some call it resilience, while others may consider it luck, I believe it is, in large part because of one phenomenal woman, my maternal grandmother, Mildred. Like many of the women who walk through our doors, she faced a great deal of trauma. Yet through community, unwavering tenacity, and determination, she showed me that we can still rise.  

Mildred

And it is that same strength that I see every day in the women we serve.

As I reflect on what it means to be a woman during Women’s History Month, especially a woman navigating the trials of homelessness with children in tow, I hear the words of my favorite author, Maya Angelou, in her poem, Still I Rise. 

… Up from a past that’s rooted in pain 
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide … 

I see the rise in the mothers who come through our doors; women who despite unimaginable hardship, continue to show up for their children every single day. Women who are rebuilding, redefining, and reclaiming their futures. 

I am deeply grateful that FMF provides respite for women as they journey toward permanent housing, rising from the dust despite the hardships they have faced. I am grateful for the community that helps them lift their heads and restore their hope, one gift, one kind word, one letter of advocacy at a time.

Just as I did not get here on my own, supported by my grandmother and other determined women who believed in me, I know that the families and mothers we serve are surrounded by the FMF community, so they too may rise.