cheers, darlin'

first things first. may i give a grand kudos to puffs plus with vicks. this genius invention was a joy during my days and nights with the flu. well done, puffs, well done.

so that first day of being home sick may have been "strangely nice," but being doctor ordered to stay home and finding out when you do try to go out that there's a good chance you will faint in front of people is not so much nice. the past several days have been a blur of sleep and dizzy awake, but have been positively accented by a very loving roommate and a mom to the rescue. and i think now i am on the road to recovery... yea!

over a year ago i came across this job description on career builder :

Outreach
A recent local study indicates that at least one third of homeless individuals in Cincinnati suffer from mental illness. Individuals who are living on the streets or in shelters often do not know where to go for help. Our Outreach Worker encounters individuals living in parks, cars, abandoned buildings, and other places not meant for human habitation, as well as individuals staying at emergency shelters. We work with these individuals to help them build trusting relationships and to obtain needed housing and mental health services.

Tender Mercies works in partnership with Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services (GCBHS) to operate the PATH program (Projects for Assistance in the Transition from Homelessness). This program expands the outreach services for individuals with mental illness, maintaining a presence in shelters, soup kitchens, parks, streets and other places homeless people frequent. Making initial contact and establishing a relationship with an Outreach Worker is often the first step in breaking the cycle of homelessness.

i applied, thinking the job sounded too good to be true. and low and behold, one year ago this week i began what has been the blessing of this job! my team is amazing (two of them just called me and told me to come back to work :), i have gotten to learn a lot about homelesseness in the US and social services first hand, and i have worked with some very precious people that make my days worthwhile. this job has made sense when very little else has. so there ya go, cheers to one year!