Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners

If you end up sick don't expect them to see you through. What they used to do has so changed. I was told by financial manager that IOCP no longer has time to listen, to hear as before. I was told my records showed information not true. I asked to see it & was denied. I even offered to bring in my job acceptance letter, my complex management documentation & even bank statements & was refused. It compounded my situation. Such confusion. With George Floyd so many heard him, but no one applied empathy to their response that had the power. You can hear a cry out for help, but in your bias, perception it becomes just a noise. If you don't have time to listen you then cancel out what the heart can do. I came walking in with MST from the Army & triggered by a recent CID Army investigation. I had my dream job with the VA-EHRM project & then got Covid-19 early being in bed for months, only to find I transitioned into Post Covid-19 Syndrome. I went from running across US Airports to now it was excruciating to walk. Then I needed an eye lens implant and what before Covid-19 was so easy, now turned into complications. Then for almost 4 months I became near sighted blind. Not able to see anything close to me, nothing. No phones or computers, my job. I began to have bowel & urinary issues on top of all this. I never felt more alone & lost. In all this, I lost everything. Life had become "whack a mole". I had a precious Case Manager, but leadership changed. I was even slated for their employment services to help me work again & that worker was great also. Then told he left & program changes. I no longer would get the help as described, as promised. It was so sad with the culture changes at IOCP. In trying to make sense of the changes, the loss of services it was almost impossible in crises mode. Between the Army triggers, being hit with Covid-19 complications & MST PTS/ PTSD functioning was difficult in a time I needed someone to champion me. I couldn't find anyone. I asked questions, attempting to understand & find anyone to hear me and instead I made people angry & found those short of patience. In the Countries attempt to handle a huge influx of people in crises & budgets I had the door closed in my face. Now having lost my car insurance of 35 years & being in a city classified as car dependent, making it work has been critically challenging. Yet the Financial Services Manager told me I don't need a car with a sharp tone. I can do this, but the Mission Statement of IOCP has lost the exceptional hands on that it used to have from LaDonna. All people need is to be heard with empathy. People know when that happens. IOCP works at a high level only with so many falling through the cracks. People don't always like everyone but to share & spread biases & perceptions being cruel isn't right especially in Social Services it isn't right. It isn't right to shut doors when someone genuinely questions what is happening. Actually it is a red flag when especially a Social Service Agency can't be transparent. I worked 20 years in a Pediatric ER and patients were always asking to see records. A job or title doesn't give anyone the right to dismiss actually hearing someone. When you are in the fight of your life, how someone treats you, talks to you does matter. It can be a life or call.

An exceptional place to donate, volunteer, come for services. With extended food shelf hours and many other services, it is a one stop location for families who need help meeting basic needs living in their service area. The awesome thrift store, Resale Select, is open to the public and definitely worth checking out no matter where you live!