An Effective Solution for the Homeless Problem
I’m sure you’ve all heard this before: There are three kinds of people in the world; those who make things happen, those who watch what happens, and those who wonder “what happened?”
I often think about that third group and wonder what happened that’s allowed me the privilege of being a part of Network Tacoma for more than 25 years.
First, a little history about Network. Network Tacoma is a faith-based 501(c)3 organization founded over 30 years ago with the express purpose of helping homeless families with children escape homelessness and work their way back into society. Today, Network has enough property and resources to assist up to 33 families. These properties include two apartment buildings and several homes in the Lakewood/Tacoma area, and an emergency apartment attached to Network’s M Street headquarters.
And get this, Network has an incredible 70 to 80% success rate in getting homeless families out of homelessness and back into society!
As we all know, homelessness is a growing problem, but it isn’t something new. Over 2 ½ decades ago I was concerned about what I was seeing on the streets of Tacoma but wasn’t sure what, if anything, I could do.
Then I met a man named Robert Weyrick. Bob is an interesting guy. He is an ordained minister who knows a lot about Heaven, yet he’s one of the most down-to earth people I‘ve ever met. In 1990 Bob formed Network to help homeless families with children get off the street and achieved self-sufficiency.
When he described Network to me, I was impressed with what I heard. One of my first questions was how Network could possibly achieve such great results. I’ll never forget the answer, “Before we invite families into our program, we interview them. If they aren’t willing to work, we don’t help them.”
I’m a pragmatist, so that’s exactly the kind of approach that appealed to me.
For years I had seen program after program throw money at the homeless problem with pathetic results. So many of the ways people try to help the homeless are ineffectual, and often even enable more homelessness without ever addressing the root problem.
Seeing these failed attempts reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Bob, “God doesn’t bless stupidity.”
When it comes to the type of people who are homeless, they can basically be broken down into three groups.
About a third are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. This group needs professional medical and psychiatric care.
Another third are people who have chosen homelessness as a lifestyle, or are unwilling to receive help offered to them. There’s nothing anyone can do for these people because they are victims of the poor choices they continue to make.
Then there’s a third group. These are people who are homeless because of the death of a breadwinner, a sudden, unexpected job loss, or a financial shock from which they can’t recover. They want to get better, they want to get back into the workforce, and they want a hand-up, not a handout. These are the families Network helps.
I joined the board in the early ’90s, and in 1995 I was elected board president.
Since that time I’ve had the privilege of watching Network grow into a well-run, professional non-profit which not only provides for the material welfare of the families it helps, but also provides them much-needed spiritual growth as well.
I consider my leadership role more as a collaborative endeavor with Bob, Greg Landon, the executive director, and the other board members. I think I’m more of a sounding board than anything else, allowing others to voice their ideas and offering feedback.
Of course, after being board president for 26 years, I realized it might be time for me to step down and allow a younger person to take over the reins.
Fortunately, Network recently began working with just such a young person, a man named Josh Collier. He is a professional in the financial services business and has done a tremendous job writing grant proposals for Network. His knowledge and enthusiasm make him a perfect candidate for Network’s board president.
Bob, Greg, and I have been discussing him becoming board president, and are looking forward to moving ahead with this transition over the next couple of years.
It turns out it’s easy to lead an organization you believe in; one that not only inspires you, but also inspires everyone else within the organization. Naturally, when the leadership and the team feel inspired, that enthusiasm can’t help but spread to everyone who sees all that positive energy.
Inspiration; enthusiasm; this describes Network Tacoma perfectly. It has truly been an honor for me to be involved with Network Tacoma over the last 26 years.
