Yesterday morning, one of our regulars came around the main office to shake every staff member’s hand and to say thank you.
Today he’s headed out of state for new opportunities and fresh starts. He’s hopeful and excited, but he’s also grateful for what he received at Patchwork over the past few months.
The hospitality he received was offered gladly and unconditionally. His thank yous were not necessary or expected. Yet, I find them particularly affirmational because I think they confirm that Patchwork is doing what we intend to be doing.
The man has been living in his car for a little while and doing odd jobs as opportunities presented themselves. Undoubtedly, the man was thankful for the coffee, the showers, the toiletries, the food, and the respite from the heat that he’d received at Patchwork. But when he said “thank you” to us, I know it wasn’t for these things.
When he said “thank you” to us, it was for creating a place where he could belong. It was for creating a place where he could find friends to chat with. It was for creating a community for him to be part of. It was for creating a place where he knew someone would notice if he was gone for a few too many days and would start asking around to make sure he was ok.
His “thank you” was a thank you for caring. It was a thank you to John for visiting him when he was in the hospital. It was a thank you for safety, including providing a safe place to do some car repairs in our parking lot and a safe place to have a new phone delivered.
This is what we strive to be at Patchwork, and the man’s thanks confirmed that he had felt like he was a part of it.