Dorothy Day Center Case Study

DESCRIPTION: Pulling up to the Dorothy Day Center the first time, was a shocking sight. There were so many people waiting for the doors to open for the night. I never realized how many people in the St. Paul area relied on Dorothy Day to receive a meal or to have a safe place to sleep for the night. Many of the clients waiting outside carried bundles of bags, luggage, and carts teeming with their possessions. From the outside, the clients seem to portray the usual stereotype of homeless people, but that was not always the case after stepping inside the Dorothy Day Center. Entering through the back door and walking through the corridors to the main room, the Dorothy Day Center seems very rigid to me. The colorless walls and the hard, tile …show more content…
Paul residents by leaps and bounds. Though there are over four thousand homeless every day in the Twin Cities, the Dorothy Day Center makes a difference for those two hundred that do not have to worry that night. Dorothy Day provides those in financial crisis a place to stay while they save up their money; most of the clients at Dorothy Day are temporarily homeless, so the Center is a step along the way to full financial recovery. In the big picture of nationwide homelessness, the Dorothy Day Center is not providing much of an impact on decreasing those numbers; nevertheless, Dorothy Day is setting an example of how large cities can begin to break the pattern of homelessness, despite limited …show more content…
On the first night, a group called “Nuns on the Bus.” was also volunteering, so we had some limited duties. However, we labeled blankets, sheets, and towels that had been donated from a local hotel. Surprisingly, the ripped and worn linens were being used because the Center needs these basic items. By doing that, we were helping provide the clients with the ability to shower and sleep with linens provided for them. On the second night, I worked in the laundry room. First, we sorted all the linens from previous nights to be distributed back to the clients. Once the clients came up to the desk, we retrieved their linens or they were given fresh linens for the night. This service provides the clients with a sense of comfort. Just as I look forward to bed at home, it is probably comforting to know that they have their own blankets waiting for them each night. The last night I attended Dorothy Day, I participated in serving food to the clients. For many, that could have been their only meal for the day. Although these activities seem small, food and linens can provide the clients with the energy needed to break the cycle of