Our Direct Care staff is our largest team, and their day-to-day work keeps the Poverello Center running. The first aspect of the direct care job is working with people, which can be a big task in a place as busy as our shelter. Within just one hour, someone might be arriving to shelter for the first time, scared and confused, while another person leaves for a job interview after months of applying, and yet another person needs help filing a police report for their lost or stolen personal items. All of these high-emotion circumstances require a team of people who can keep calm, act with compassion, and manage multiple spinning plates. 

Working with people in crisis is a strenuous job. Over time, staff members form close relationships with guests. They hear their stories, connect with their struggles, bond over movies or video games, and hope for the best for people. Watching victories, like someone getting a job or moving into housing, is always exciting. However, when someone passes away, gets arrested, or stops connecting with their case worker or housing opportunities, it devastates staff members. It can be extremely emotional for people to see all the highs and lows that happen in shelter, and our direct care staff are managing these emotions every day. 

In addition to working with people, our direct care team works every day to keep the building on schedule. When the building closes to be cleaned before lunch, our staff ask people to leave, then do any cleaning work that is not already being done by volunteers or shelter guests. Throughout the day, staff is doing laundry, diligently ensuring that every sheet and blanket gets washed before the evening. At the end of the day, direct care staff check people in to get a bed, making sure that people who signed up during the day get a place to lay their head. 

Assistant Shelter Manager Jen, who oversees direct care staff, says “staff provide everything for guests, from providing a clean and safe place to sleep at night to emotional support.” This is an incredibly strong team, and they are the front line to homelessness in Missoula. 

If you stop in to say hi, volunteer, or donate, make sure to thank the direct care staff member who greets you at the desk!