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Staff, volunteers use gentle approachBy Dan Cortez of The News-Sentinel
Class starts in less than 10 minutes, but that's not a concern as Lorenzo Kinnie, the head chef, keeps everybody loose amid talk of girls, sports and news. Play time eventually ends, and the residents trudge off to class on the other side of the building. "I keep it under control, but I let them be themselves. We do have fun in the kitchen," Kinnie says. Kinnie can prepare a breakfast of omelets for 50 men in 20 minutes. At lunch, with 100 people waiting, He roams the kitchen, scratching his chin. What to serve? Then he throws together a huge pot of shrimp fried rice in 15 minutes. "It's not a job, really, just a bunch of guys getting together and checking up on each other. I'm staff, but I'm partly their friend, too." That is the approach the entire staff, heavily made up of former residents, takes. They maintain a tough stance, but with a gentle touch. They are trained professionals aided by volunteers, but residents have added respect for staffers such as Kinnie because he knows exactly what they're going through. He was once in their shoes. An addictKinnie was addicted to crack, so much so that he went to Narcotics Anonymous meetings six times a week. He stopped by the mission 10 years ago and kept the place in the back of his mind. He returned in 1998 and completed the program. Eventually, Executive Director Jim Dance asked if Kinnie wanted a job. Kinnie said yes. "I've been through a lot of the things they've been through. They can talk to me about things they can't talk to (other) staff about," Kinnie says. "A lot of these guys I know from the streets." Another former resident, Tom Heinze, came to the mission an alcoholic and now helps the men learn to use computers. He laughs that men think they have to swallow their pride to listen to instructors. "When I was drinking, I had no pride. I would do anything," he says. "So how can you lose pride if you didn't have any in the first place? This place builds pride. These people help you do that." Volunteers make a differenceVolunteer Greg Wood scurries through the cafeteria Saturday just before noon. "Do you like the chili?" he asks. "Good, good." Wood and members of Sonrise at Aboite United Methodist Church are serving white chili. They began preparing the meal five hours earlier, just as breakfast was being served. Parents and their children abound, serving whipped potatoes, salad and lemonade. There are almost too many volunteers, but Wood, 49, and his father, C.B., prefer it that way. "Our goal is not only to serve them, but to meet them and reach out to them," Greg Wood says. While paid staff members work at the mission 24 hours a day, volunteers are around mostly during meals. A list in the kitchen lays out who has volunteered to help serve or prepare meals over the next two weeks. During one week, a woman brings in her teenage son to help, and a man brings his two young children. Pastor Rick Van Horn and members of the Believers Bible Fellowship of Churubusco lead chapel services on Wednesday night. Religious-themed songs are sung, and members of the fellowship share stories of overcoming tragedy. "Whatever storm they're going through, we want to help," Van Horn says. "Not just with salvation, but what is going on in their lives right now." No idea of the needEddy Bazile works at the mission as a case manager. He used to manage the Southgate shopping plaza. He had other offers, but began operating Bargains Galore, the mission's low-price, used-goods store, 10 years ago. He moved to the mission five years ago. He grew up in Haiti, where most people probably don't eat as well as the homeless at the mission. "I never imagined there was so much need in a country as bountiful as America," he says. "We all have our prejudices. I had mine about the mission before I started working here." He believed the mission was a place for drunks to pass out or smoke cigarettes. But that isn't the program, he learned. He now has the trust of many men. One resident found several cold, unopened beer cans near the mission while cleaning. After hesitating, he ran to Bazile's office to show him the beer and talk about how well he handled the situation. Bazile and other staff who haven't been addicts admit they don't understand everything the men go through. But when men have relapsed, Bazile admits he has cried. Now he has a new approach. "That's one gone, but I have 20 more to work with." Executive Director Dance wants to change lives. He figures 1,000 men go through the mission a year. One hundred enter the restoration program. Maybe 20-30 will recover. Graduates must be free from relapse for at least 60 days and complete 16 weeks of classes. Dance doesn't worry that the graduation rate isn't higher. "I think that's pretty good.... We don't have the power to change people's lives. That's God's business. We have to make sure not to get in their way." At a glance* Address: Fort Wayne Rescue Mission Ministries 301 W. Superior St. Charis House, 533 W. Washington Blvd. (for women and children) * Phone: 426-7357, 426-8123 (women's division) * Mission: "To provide, through the power of Jesus Christ, a home for the homeless, food for the hungry and hope for their future." * Capacity: More than 100 men; 42 women and children * Men helped: 883 * Women and children helped: 170 * Demographics: Compared with national homeless statistics, those who come are more likely to be female and be age 46 to 65. About half are minorities. A majority struggle with addictions. * Total nights of lodging provided: 37,323 * Total meals served: 120,798 * Items of clothing provided: 6,015 * Community donations: $1.9 million * Total revenue and support: $3.1 million * Program service costs: $1.5 million (mission only) * Total expenses: $2 million * NOTE: Totals for clients served, revenues and expenses are for the year ended June 30. Monetary figures are for the rescue mission and its foundation combined unless noted otherwise. -- Source: Fort Wayne Rescue Mission Ministries; compiled by Kevin Kilbane of The News-Sentinel | ||||||||||
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