Our direct care staff are the first faces you see when you walk into the Poverello Center, and they are some of the most dedicated individuals in the city. If you’ve joined the Poverello Center for afternoon and evening hours, one of those faces you’ve seen is Larry Roberts. Larry spends his work days in the Poverello Center working face-to-face with our guests. 

Having been at the Poverello Center since the opening of the Johnson Street Emergency Winter Shelter in 2022, Larry knows that it can be a tough job. “It gets real crazy sometimes, and there can be some real rotten stuff,” he said, acknowledging that the work does tire him out. “But I’m used to that,” he continued, and emphasized that taking care of one another is what people are supposed to do. Larry says he loves his job, and it’s obvious he means it. “It’s spiritually fulfilling,” he added, saying that he feels he is giving people newfound freedom through his work at the Poverello Center, like he did when he made prosthetics for a living. 

He wanted to add something that he believes is critical to the work he does. “People get upset with what we do,” he said, but continued, asserting that he thinks it’s important to do the right thing for the community. “It’s hard, but we need more empathy in the world.” 

Larry is one person of many who work hard to ensure that the Poverello Center is running smoothly every day. He and the other staff working in direct care at our Broadway location work together to ensure the best quality care for everyone who stays or accesses resources. 

Thank you, direct care! If you are interested in a position with us in direct care, please consider applying at thepoverellocenter.org/jobs