[Music] every Black Friday the day after
every Black Friday the day after
every Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving I wake up and think about
Thanksgiving I wake up and think about
Thanksgiving I wake up and think about clio clue was a guest at my nonprofit
clio clue was a guest at my nonprofit
clio clue was a guest at my nonprofit about four years ago one out of
about four years ago one out of
about four years ago one out of thousands of homeless men that cycled
thousands of homeless men that cycled
thousands of homeless men that cycled through our agency every single year
through our agency every single year
through our agency every single year clean who came to us after spending much
clean who came to us after spending much
clean who came to us after spending much of his adult life in prison and he
of his adult life in prison and he
of his adult life in prison and he struggled from substance abuse and
struggled from substance abuse and
struggled from substance abuse and mental health issues
mental health issues
mental health issues Cleo loved to speak at our events he had
Cleo loved to speak at our events he had
Cleo loved to speak at our events he had a white turtleneck he looked
a white turtleneck he looked
a white turtleneck he looked particularly sharpen and he talked about
particularly sharpen and he talked about
particularly sharpen and he talked about issues that were important to him
issues that were important to him
issues that were important to him issues like faith and struggle an
issues like faith and struggle an
issues like faith and struggle an addiction and the hope that something
addiction and the hope that something
addiction and the hope that something better for him was just around the bend
better for him was just around the bend
better for him was just around the bend Cleo fought his demons day after day
Cleo fought his demons day after day
Cleo fought his demons day after day month after month until finally they
month after month until finally they
month after month until finally they overtook him
overtook him
overtook him Cleo is found facedown on the side of
Cleo is found facedown on the side of
Cleo is found facedown on the side of the road with only our business card in
the road with only our business card in
the road with only our business card in his back pocket as identification by the
his back pocket as identification by the
his back pocket as identification by the time the hospital called he was on life
time the hospital called he was on life
time the hospital called he was on life support his skin cool to the touch he
support his skin cool to the touch he
support his skin cool to the touch he died that day surrounded by tubes
died that day surrounded by tubes
died that day surrounded by tubes instead of family just another homeless
instead of family just another homeless
instead of family just another homeless man falling victim to the street working
man falling victim to the street working
man falling victim to the street working with the homeless or any marginalized
with the homeless or any marginalized
with the homeless or any marginalized population is a study and dichotomy our
population is a study and dichotomy our
population is a study and dichotomy our very jobs for the most part are to help
very jobs for the most part are to help
very jobs for the most part are to help people in their darkest of times seek
people in their darkest of times seek
people in their darkest of times seek resources and support
resources and support
resources and support sometimes the resources don’t even exist
sometimes the resources don’t even exist
sometimes the resources don’t even exist people think that nonprofit workers do
people think that nonprofit workers do
people think that nonprofit workers do all of this because of the emotional
all of this because of the emotional
all of this because of the emotional payout at the end of the day after all
payout at the end of the day after all
payout at the end of the day after all nonprofit work is all about giving and
nonprofit work is all about giving and
nonprofit work is all about giving and giving makes you feel good so why
giving makes you feel good so why
giving makes you feel good so why wouldn’t workers be happy nonprofit
wouldn’t workers be happy nonprofit
wouldn’t workers be happy nonprofit workers are also pretty good at putting
workers are also pretty good at putting
workers are also pretty good at putting their feelings aside as well after all
their feelings aside as well after all
their feelings aside as well after all positivity is the linchpin for the
positivity is the linchpin for the
positivity is the linchpin for the success of our clients our agencies and
success of our clients our agencies and
success of our clients our agencies and so we put on a smiling face in order to
so we put on a smiling face in order to
so we put on a smiling face in order to make the best out of the situation’s
make the best out of the situation’s
make the best out of the situation’s we’re given you know herein lies the
we’re given you know herein lies the
we’re given you know herein lies the dark side of Nam
dark side of Nam
dark side of Nam at work so a recent study done of over
at work so a recent study done of over
at work so a recent study done of over 2,000 nonprofit workers showed that over
2,000 nonprofit workers showed that over
2,000 nonprofit workers showed that over half were burned out or in danger of
half were burned out or in danger of
half were burned out or in danger of becoming burned out that’s higher than
becoming burned out that’s higher than
becoming burned out that’s higher than the overall labor market nonprofit
the overall labor market nonprofit
the overall labor market nonprofit workers do with deal with all these
workers do with deal with all these
workers do with deal with all these issues Plus long hours low pay and
issues Plus long hours low pay and
issues Plus long hours low pay and distressing work environment as well I
distressing work environment as well I
distressing work environment as well I understand and agree with a studies on
understand and agree with a studies on
understand and agree with a studies on burnout because I have teetered on the
burnout because I have teetered on the
burnout because I have teetered on the edge of this myself even standing here
edge of this myself even standing here
edge of this myself even standing here in front of you today makes me feel like
in front of you today makes me feel like
in front of you today makes me feel like I’m letting my agency and my clients
I’m letting my agency and my clients
I’m letting my agency and my clients stay on but it hasn’t always been like
stay on but it hasn’t always been like
stay on but it hasn’t always been like this for the first 13 year of my social
this for the first 13 year of my social
this for the first 13 year of my social services career I was able to work
services career I was able to work
services career I was able to work directly with clients one-on-one even
directly with clients one-on-one even
directly with clients one-on-one even when things were tough I feel like my
when things were tough I feel like my
when things were tough I feel like my work mattered like even when things were
work mattered like even when things were
work mattered like even when things were really really bad we could get through
really really bad we could get through
really really bad we could get through it but over time I switched into
it but over time I switched into
it but over time I switched into management and I’m now the executive
management and I’m now the executive
management and I’m now the executive director of a nonprofit that focuses on
director of a nonprofit that focuses on
director of a nonprofit that focuses on chronically homeless men you know I’ve
chronically homeless men you know I’ve
chronically homeless men you know I’ve never really thought that selling
never really thought that selling
never really thought that selling homeless men was gonna be such a hard
homeless men was gonna be such a hard
homeless men was gonna be such a hard job after all
job after all
job after all 73% out of all philanthropic giving was
73% out of all philanthropic giving was
73% out of all philanthropic giving was done by individuals in the United States
done by individuals in the United States
done by individuals in the United States and homeless individuals faced a
and homeless individuals faced a
and homeless individuals faced a trifecta of barriers usually it’s mental
trifecta of barriers usually it’s mental
trifecta of barriers usually it’s mental health physical health and substance
health physical health and substance
health physical health and substance abuse issues and I’m and homeless men
abuse issues and I’m and homeless men
abuse issues and I’m and homeless men aren’t truly living in the shadows
aren’t truly living in the shadows
aren’t truly living in the shadows either their pain is played out in
either their pain is played out in
either their pain is played out in public daily as they walk the same
public daily as they walk the same
public daily as they walk the same streets sit in the same parks and as one
streets sit in the same parks and as one
streets sit in the same parks and as one public official recently said uses our
public official recently said uses our
public official recently said uses our front yard as their bathrooms I often
front yard as their bathrooms I often
front yard as their bathrooms I often say when I’m fundraising that it’s
say when I’m fundraising that it’s
say when I’m fundraising that it’s easier to raise $1 for a homeless puppy
easier to raise $1 for a homeless puppy
easier to raise $1 for a homeless puppy than a
than a
than a homeless male I think that we’re less
homeless male I think that we’re less
homeless male I think that we’re less likely to attribute morality to the
likely to attribute morality to the
likely to attribute morality to the actions and behaviors of animals than we
actions and behaviors of animals than we
actions and behaviors of animals than we are to our fellow man so people feel
are to our fellow man so people feel
are to our fellow man so people feel more of a connection to animals than
more of a connection to animals than
more of a connection to animals than they do to humans and this isn’t just
they do to humans and this isn’t just
they do to humans and this isn’t just rhetoric in 2015 there was a desperate
rhetoric in 2015 there was a desperate
rhetoric in 2015 there was a desperate father in the UK his son Harrison had a
father in the UK his son Harrison had a
father in the UK his son Harrison had a particularly devastating form of
particularly devastating form of
particularly devastating form of muscular dystrophy so he decided to do
muscular dystrophy so he decided to do
muscular dystrophy so he decided to do an ad campaign he put posters up in the
an ad campaign he put posters up in the
an ad campaign he put posters up in the subways one featuring a dog and the
subways one featuring a dog and the
subways one featuring a dog and the other featuring his little boy Harrison
other featuring his little boy Harrison
other featuring his little boy Harrison out of these two pictures which ones do
out of these two pictures which ones do
out of these two pictures which ones do you think which one do you think got the
you think which one do you think got the
you think which one do you think got the most likes if you said the dog you’re
most likes if you said the dog you’re
most likes if you said the dog you’re correct
correct
correct the dog got over 50% more visits to its
the dog got over 50% more visits to its
the dog got over 50% more visits to its webpage than the very sick little boy it
webpage than the very sick little boy it
webpage than the very sick little boy it was at this point that I felt my hope
was at this point that I felt my hope
was at this point that I felt my hope begin to fade a little but I decided to
begin to fade a little but I decided to
begin to fade a little but I decided to do a little bit more research I went on
do a little bit more research I went on
do a little bit more research I went on to our work social media to see which
to our work social media to see which
to our work social media to see which posts resounded best with our supporters
posts resounded best with our supporters
posts resounded best with our supporters and what I found made me a little sad
and what I found made me a little sad
and what I found made me a little sad because it wasn’t Julius getting his GED
because it wasn’t Julius getting his GED
because it wasn’t Julius getting his GED or street outreach workers handing out
or street outreach workers handing out
or street outreach workers handing out blankets on a very cold night our number
blankets on a very cold night our number
blankets on a very cold night our number one post of the year with the most
one post of the year with the most
one post of the year with the most organic clicks was our box of puppies
organic clicks was our box of puppies
organic clicks was our box of puppies post this post was put up when a guest
post this post was put up when a guest
post this post was put up when a guest brought us a box of very sick puppies
brought us a box of very sick puppies
brought us a box of very sick puppies and they needed immediate medical care
and they needed immediate medical care
and they needed immediate medical care so we decided to put the picture up on
so we decided to put the picture up on
so we decided to put the picture up on the website you’ll be happy to know that
the website you’ll be happy to know that
the website you’ll be happy to know that most of the puppies are doing very well
most of the puppies are doing very well
most of the puppies are doing very well thanks to the support of our amazing
thanks to the support of our amazing
thanks to the support of our amazing community and quick thinking staff I
community and quick thinking staff I
community and quick thinking staff I however look at look at it as a time
however look at look at it as a time
however look at look at it as a time where I have
where I have
where I have really lost hope it wasn’t just the
really lost hope it wasn’t just the
really lost hope it wasn’t just the puppies of course it was everything it
puppies of course it was everything it
puppies of course it was everything it was walking into a homeless shelter
was walking into a homeless shelter
was walking into a homeless shelter every day and seeing a line of men what
every day and seeing a line of men what
every day and seeing a line of men what around the corner it was having
around the corner it was having
around the corner it was having appliances breaking down and not having
appliances breaking down and not having
appliances breaking down and not having enough funding to fix it
enough funding to fix it
enough funding to fix it it was veterans being dumped off on our
it was veterans being dumped off on our
it was veterans being dumped off on our doorstep wearing nothing but their
doorstep wearing nothing but their
doorstep wearing nothing but their hospital gowns it was autistic 20 year
hospital gowns it was autistic 20 year
hospital gowns it was autistic 20 year olds given a one-way bus ticket to our
olds given a one-way bus ticket to our
olds given a one-way bus ticket to our town from theirs because their town
town from theirs because their town
town from theirs because their town didn’t have enough resources I didn’t
didn’t have enough resources I didn’t
didn’t have enough resources I didn’t know how to make people relate to my
know how to make people relate to my
know how to make people relate to my clients and to be honest I didn’t even
clients and to be honest I didn’t even
clients and to be honest I didn’t even know how to relate anymore it was all
know how to relate anymore it was all
know how to relate anymore it was all just too much it was too much stress it
just too much it was too much stress it
just too much it was too much stress it was too much need and at the end of the
was too much need and at the end of the
was too much need and at the end of the day all I wanted to do was go into my
day all I wanted to do was go into my
day all I wanted to do was go into my office and shut the door
office and shut the door
office and shut the door I had become hopeless and burned-out
I had become hopeless and burned-out
I had become hopeless and burned-out because my job was to sell a vision of
because my job was to sell a vision of
because my job was to sell a vision of hope and I had become hopeless my
hope and I had become hopeless my
hope and I had become hopeless my struggle with hopelessness took away my
struggle with hopelessness took away my
struggle with hopelessness took away my ability to relate you know hopelessness
ability to relate you know hopelessness
ability to relate you know hopelessness is a terrible word in a world that is
is a terrible word in a world that is
is a terrible word in a world that is that is demanding pleasure and happiness
that is demanding pleasure and happiness
that is demanding pleasure and happiness when we feel any sort of negative
when we feel any sort of negative
when we feel any sort of negative feelings we do anything that we can do
feelings we do anything that we can do
feelings we do anything that we can do to shut it down to chase it away and if
to shut it down to chase it away and if
to shut it down to chase it away and if that doesn’t work we feel even worse
that doesn’t work we feel even worse
that doesn’t work we feel even worse about ourselves but here’s the thing
about ourselves but here’s the thing
about ourselves but here’s the thing hopelessness is a universal feeling
hopelessness is a universal feeling
hopelessness is a universal feeling we’ve all felt it I want you to think
we’ve all felt it I want you to think
we’ve all felt it I want you to think back to a time where you might have felt
back to a time where you might have felt
back to a time where you might have felt hopeless now maybe your mom or dad was
hopeless now maybe your mom or dad was
hopeless now maybe your mom or dad was sick or maybe work wasn’t going some
sick or maybe work wasn’t going some
sick or maybe work wasn’t going some well just think back into a time and a
well just think back into a time and a
well just think back into a time and a place where you weren’t sure if there
place where you weren’t sure if there
place where you weren’t sure if there was a light at the end of the tub tunnel
was a light at the end of the tub tunnel
was a light at the end of the tub tunnel have you thought about it I bet it
have you thought about it I bet it
have you thought about it I bet it wasn’t very pleasant bringing up painful
wasn’t very pleasant bringing up painful
wasn’t very pleasant bringing up painful feelings like
feelings like
feelings like listen US really is but it can use a be
listen US really is but it can use a be
listen US really is but it can use a be used as a powerful tool to connect
used as a powerful tool to connect
used as a powerful tool to connect because if everyone felt the same
because if everyone felt the same
because if everyone felt the same feelings even if it was for different
feelings even if it was for different
feelings even if it was for different reasons we now have a common ground
reasons we now have a common ground
reasons we now have a common ground there are people in our community who
there are people in our community who
there are people in our community who are in pain they feel hopeless so by
are in pain they feel hopeless so by
are in pain they feel hopeless so by using our own feelings of hopelessness
using our own feelings of hopelessness
using our own feelings of hopelessness we can relate to better we can meet
we can relate to better we can meet
we can relate to better we can meet people where they are and went instead
people where they are and went instead
people where they are and went instead of where we want them to be and when we
of where we want them to be and when we
of where we want them to be and when we do that we can turn sympathy to empathy
do that we can turn sympathy to empathy
do that we can turn sympathy to empathy which is the far more productive feeling
which is the far more productive feeling
which is the far more productive feeling you know hope is a beautiful thing it’s
you know hope is a beautiful thing it’s
you know hope is a beautiful thing it’s what we all want it is truly the light
what we all want it is truly the light
what we all want it is truly the light in our dark days it’s what allowed my
in our dark days it’s what allowed my
in our dark days it’s what allowed my frankly up to remain stable II house for
frankly up to remain stable II house for
frankly up to remain stable II house for as long as he did and has allowed his
as long as he did and has allowed his
as long as he did and has allowed his legacy to carry forward even to today
legacy to carry forward even to today
legacy to carry forward even to today but using your feelings of hopelessness
but using your feelings of hopelessness
but using your feelings of hopelessness can be a powerful tool to connect when
can be a powerful tool to connect when
can be a powerful tool to connect when you connect you can empathize stronger
you connect you can empathize stronger
you connect you can empathize stronger so here is what I want you to do I want
so here is what I want you to do I want
so here is what I want you to do I want you to remember that your feelings of
you to remember that your feelings of
you to remember that your feelings of hopelessness might be fleeting but for
hopelessness might be fleeting but for
hopelessness might be fleeting but for some people they’re living in a hopeless
some people they’re living in a hopeless
some people they’re living in a hopeless state and I have to say this in honor of
state and I have to say this in honor of
state and I have to say this in honor of my friend John John was a proud of
my friend John John was a proud of
my friend John John was a proud of Marine veteran who recently lost his
Marine veteran who recently lost his
Marine veteran who recently lost his battle with hopelessness if you are
battle with hopelessness if you are
battle with hopelessness if you are feeling hopeless please know that you
feeling hopeless please know that you
feeling hopeless please know that you are not broken and you are not alone
are not broken and you are not alone
are not broken and you are not alone one day the dark clouds will lift and
one day the dark clouds will lift and
one day the dark clouds will lift and you will be able to use your pain and
you will be able to use your pain and
you will be able to use your pain and your feelings of suffering to help ease
your feelings of suffering to help ease
your feelings of suffering to help ease someone else’s suffering and in the end
someone else’s suffering and in the end
someone else’s suffering and in the end that will
that will
that will use your pain for hope and possibility
use your pain for hope and possibility
use your pain for hope and possibility thank you
”
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