Even at 8 AM, at the end of an overnight shift, Overnight Supervisor Shelly has a smile on her face. When asked how her night was, she says “it was quiet, but I stayed busy. I just finished sweeping and mopping the stairwell.”

She had been interested in the Poverello’s work for a long time, especially since she’d become friends with some of our staff. When she heard there was a position open, she jumped at the opportunity. Now, almost a year in, she loves the ins and outs of the job, and has never missed a single shift. 

“I’ve learned how much we can help people,” she says. By just providing a bed for the night and a hot meal, Shelly believes the Pov makes a huge difference for people in our community. And the overnight shift is especially integral to the mission: “during the day, you’re always doing something, helping someone get what they need. During the night shift, we have time to clean, do chores, and make sure the building is good to go for another day.” 

She says it also gives her time to connect with clients. “There’s one man who I know is struggling with depression, and I just see him having a hard day sometimes. If I go talk to him for five minutes, it’s clear that he’s feeling better when I leave.” After learning that he loved to do art, she even brought him a stash of art supplies she had from home.