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A Day in the Life of a Front Line Employee 3

“I’m going to hold your hand
if you need me to.”

”I’m going to hold your hand if you need me to.” That’s a promise Desiree Anthony has made to dozens of guests over the years at Fort Collins Rescue Mission. And when she says it, she means it.

Desiree understands the unique challenges that come along with being homeless in our city. She’s been there herself: “You lose your checking account. You lose your ID. There’s nowhere to charge your phone. You don’t have transportation. You don’t have a good night’s sleep. You literally have no control over your own life.

Now, in her role as an emergency services and community outreach coordinator at the Mission, she calls on those lived experiences to find common ground with guests.

“For me. it’s a lot of connecting and doing outreach, developing relationships, having conversations and earning trust” Desiree shares. “It’s a lot of relationship building.”

Once she’s created that connection, Desiree begins the crucial work of helping guests find a place to live. She wades through pools of paperwork and scales mountains of red tape in her quest to secure housing for men in our care. Desiree puts all her trust in God to remove any obstacles encountered along the way.

“When we hit roadblocks, we pray,” she
says. “The Lord does for us what we
cannot do for ourselves.”

“When we hit roadblocks, we pray,” she says.
“The Lord does for us what we cannot do for
ourselves.”

When Desiree’s in your corner, she’ll fight for you. A former Mission guest, Thomas, characterizes her as a fierce advocate who “won’t take no for an answer” until she’s helped make space for men to heal and thrive.

“We focus on dignity and respect,” Desiree says. “That’s what sets us apart from other shelter providers. We really focus on making people feel respected and cared for. We don’t want to make them feel judged. Each and every one of the staff here make it a point to treat our guests like they are children of God.”

That’s the quality of care you make possible, month after month, as a Pathways of Hope member. Thank you for ensuring we’re always ready to serve wholesome meals, provide safe shelter, offer clean clothing, and walk alongside our guests at every stage of their transfomiative journey.

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