Susie Paloma, Department Committee Chair 

St. Catherine of Siena

In December, I went to a Presidential Candidate Forum. At this particular forum, the format was such that each candidate who was present had to directly address a question from someone who had just shared their personal story. People from all over the country had an opportunity to address the candidates about issues that directly affected them. Some of their stories were deeply moving.

I was fascinated and completely taken back by one woman’s story. She began by saying, "I’m a lawyer, but I used to be homeless." She went on to share parts of her journey from homelessness to practicing law, but there was one comment she made in particular that really struck me. She said, "Please don’t use me to justify a ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ attitude. There were a lot of people along the way who helped pull me up. I never could have done it by myself."

Often, I think we slip into a mode where we tell ourselves that people in poverty or people suffering a crisis could "pull themselves up by their bootstraps if only they worked a little harder, saved a lot more, and had the right attitude." But as the lawyer at the forum testified, it’s simply not that easy. Many of the people who come to St. Mary Family Center in need of assistance are some of the hardest working people I know. Many of the people who come to St. Mary can’t "save" what they don’t have to save. And many of the people who come to St. Mary Family Center would like nothing more than to be able to provide for themselves and their family members. Their reality is simply: There is no way for them to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" and they need a "hand up" from others.

Programs like Compassion in Action are designed to be just the "hand up" a lot of families need. Compassion in Action funds provide much-needed rent and utility assistance that, often times, means the difference between a family having a roof of their head or ending up homeless. I’m guessing that if most of us thought about it, we could each come up with a time in our lives when we wouldn’t have been able to "pull ourselves up" – whether we were experiencing an emotional, spiritual, or physical crisis. In those moments, we had to rely on family members, friends, and even strangers to "give us a hand up." Donating to Compassion in Action is a great way to return the favor.

Peace to you in 2008,

Susie Paloma