News

This is going to be an optimistic email. I’m saying that right from the start, because at first, it’s going to seem like a real downer, but stick with me. Like everything else, it will get better.

I have a terrible morning routine. I wake up before the sun—this is what happens when you marry someone who works in education—sit in my favorite comfy chair, and open the newspaper on my phone. After a few articles, I usually wish I could go back to bed and sleep for roughly another five years.

After I read the news though, I don’t go back to sleep. Instead, I get ready for work. When I get to the office, I see what I read in the newspaper playing out in our community:

• Since July, we’ve seen 20% increase in people visiting the pantry (that’s 20% more on top of numbers that have been steadily increasing since the pandemic).
• Compared to this time last year, 60% more survivors are seeking our domestic violence counseling services.
• The mayor just proposed another 1,000 shelter beds in response to increasing homelessness, and our family shelter, Jane Addams Place, never has a single vacancy.

Okay, I said this was going to be an optimistic email, and I wouldn’t lie to you. Yes, consuming the news can feel like a parade of misery (and “Parade of Misery” would be the worst Mummers theme ever). But, when I get to the office each day, there’s also so much cause for celebration.

Last week we filmed our annual video that we’ll premiere at Powerful Together on Tuesday, April 28th. If you’ve never seen these videos, grab some tissues and watch the one from last year here. Witnessing these stories is what gets me out of my comfy chair, out of my parade of misery, and on my way to work every day. Stories that, like this email, tend to start out depressing, but that end up in a place of inspiration and celebration. 

I often visualize the people we serve as embarking on a journey—walking down a road toward the future they want for themselves, the future they deserve. At LSH, we accompany people on their journeys; we walk side-by-side with them, offering compassion, resources, and an unshakable belief that they will make it wherever they want to go. 

That’s a comforting image: two people walking together. But, let’s zoom out. It isn’t just two people, is it? It’s all the people who support this work; it’s all of you. The road is actually filled with a powerful community of people—a crowd of compassion—and I feel sorry for any obstacles that try to get in the way. 

This should be my new morning routine: sit in my chair, wait for the sun to rise (and remember that it always does) and think about how powerful we are together.

It’s no accident that Powerful Together is the name of our annual gathering of clients, staff, and all the supporters on this journey with us—all of you. Need a dose of optimism? I hope you’ll join us on April 28th to experience the soul-lifting joy that only comes from sharing good food, good drink, good stories, and good company. 

We truly are powerful together. 

In solidarity,

David Chiles

This story is part of Every Day at Lutheran Settlement House, a new series featuring stories from our Executive Director.

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