Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Craddock.
Robin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
For several years, I volunteered at a local homeless shelter but never thought I would actually be able to be paid to do what I was doing in my free time. That changed when I was hired to be a Case Aide at Austin Street. From there, I went to Metrocare to work in their housing department. I like to say that I really learned a love for the community at Austin Street, I learned the housing piece at Metrocare, and I get to roll all of that into one amazing position at the Stewpot. There is no typical day, as everything can change in an instant depending on what is happening with our clients. My actual title is Manager of Permanent Housing, with 2 Case Managers under me. We have currently housed 46 people in our program with a goal of housing 60. I also assist in overseeing our day room where clients come to wait for services, and in my “spare” time, I love to engage with folks outside our doors to see how we can possibly serve them with the goal of getting them into more suitable living environments. My hope is that whether you are in our housing program, coming to us for services, or living literally outside our doors, that the Stewpot is a place where you can come to feel valued, seen, and heard.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Working with the community that I do certainly comes with a lot of struggles. It is difficult see folks in crisis on a daily basis and not take that home with you. The unfortunate reality is that we just can’t help everyone, but we can certainly help someone every day. I have learned to celebrate those victories no matter how small and to just be sensitive to the opportunities that are always in front of us. I don’t always get this part right but take each day as a fresh start.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
One of the things that I love most about what I do is when a client comes in off the street saying that he heard from his “buddies” that I was the one to see about getting help. If I am going to be known for anything, I want it to be that my name is out there on the streets as someone who can do something, even a little something, to give a little hope. Sometimes that is as big as connecting to housing resources, sometimes as small as handing out a jar of peanut butter. If I have to tell someone no, I always want to be able to follow it up with a, but I can’t do this but… It is by no means in my resume, but I think it is safe to say that specialize in working with clients that need a little extra attention, hand holding, or are considered more challenging. It not an exaggeration to say that I have a passion for what I am blessed to be able to do, and difficult is my speciality!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I have been extremely blessed to have had incredible people pouring into me both professionally and personally. I think that my Supervisor at Austin Street, Dulari Mehta saw something in me, and her guidance was what helped to lay the foundation that I have continued to build on. She encouraged me to lean into my gifts and enabled me to gain confidence in my work. Considering that my resume was literally all over the place, I don’t think I would have gotten my start in this line of work without Austin Street taking a chance on me. My current Supervisor, Michelle Secours, has been instrumental in pushing me beyond what I thought I could accomplish here at the Stewpot, and I am thankful for her trust in me to “get the job done.” I feel blessed to be part of this team and couldn’t do it without them cheering me on. My clients, however, are the ones that motivate me on a daily basis. They inspire me, they encourage me, and they give me hope. They are the reason that I want to come to work every day
Contact Info:
- Website: thestewpot.org
Image Credits
Tim Smith
The Stewpot
