Our Community, Our Mission
Our Community, Our Mission
Ep #314 - Inside the R.E.S.T.O.R.E program with Ashley Davis & Crystal Guerrero
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What does it actually take to move someone from homelessness to lasting stability? In this episode, R.E.S.T.O.R.E co-directors Ashley Davis and Crystal Guerrero explain how Topeka Rescue Mission is reshaping homeless services through a relationship-first, trauma-informed approach that focuses on long-term support instead of short-term shelter. They walk through how the R.E.S.T.O.R.E program works, from personalized intake assessments and realistic goal-setting to consistent case management that stays with guests through rehousing and up to 12 months of aftercare.
Prayer And Welcome
SPEAKER_06Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful day, for the beautiful weather. The sun is shining outside. Um Lord, we are we are just so grateful that um we get to come together, we get to talk about things that are important to the work that we do and what you've called each one of us to do. Uh Lord, we would just ask that you be present in these conversations. Um that the people that are listening here, what you need them to hear, um, and that it's always focused on you, Lord, that um all the glory goes to you for all of the things that you have given us this opportunity to do. I say all of this in Jesus' name, amen.
SPEAKER_00Hello, everybody. Thank you for joining us for our community our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission. I'm your host, Barry Fieker, here on May the 26th of 2026. This is episode number 314. And uh good morning, Miriam Craigle.
SPEAKER_06Well, good morning, sir. It is hard to believe that May is gone.
SPEAKER_00I no, yes. May is already over, Barry. I know. Like half the year is is just about behind us now. Done. Yeah. Just seems like uh the other day it was cold and it's not cold today. No. It's kind of toasty. It's gonna get toasty today.
SPEAKER_06Toasty today, and then hopefully more rain.
SPEAKER_00You know me and rain. Oh, I know rain. Yes, I do. I know my lawnmower is working like crazy.
SPEAKER_06Oh my gosh, I know. You can almost watch it grow. Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_05You can.
SPEAKER_06Right? That's right. It isn't like it's like, oh, I haven't mowed for a while. No, it's like, didn't I just mow yesterday?
SPEAKER_00It's better than the dust bowl in your front yard. Yes, it is. So anyway. Agreed. Well, Mary, we've got a really good topic today. It's called the Restore Program here at Speaker Rescue Mission, and we have Ashley Davis and Krista Guerrero here today, who are co-directors of that program. So welcome, ladies.
SPEAKER_03Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Ashley, this is your first time on a podcast. Yes, sir. Okay. You've been on TV before. I have. Just a little closer to the mic there. So uh yeah, so that we get close to the mic and there's no cameras here. This is conversational. Crystal's been on here before, so this is just really fun stuff to do. So really excited to hear uh what uh what this program is about. But if you are a frequent listener to our community art mission, you know that we have a research and development department. Actually, Miriam, that's that's your department now, isn't it? Research and development or no strategic development. Exactly. Trevor Burrus, Jr. What is the difference between strategic development and research and development?
SPEAKER_06Research and development can basically research and develop anything they want to. Mine all has to be strategic.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I see. They can just come up with it. So that's maybe why we come up with some topics that we have that are very, very special about today because you're just the meanest guy. I am. I am. We had a holiday. We had an extra day away. Yes, we did. Merriman, I haven't seen you. I won't get to see you for the full fledge of this week because I didn't see you yesterday. So I've got a lot of time to make up for it. Well, you kind of do. Okay. Okay. So here we go. I'll prepare myself. I'm buckling in. Buckling
National Days And Icebreakers
SPEAKER_00in. So our research and development department looked around the world to see what the most important things about the 26th of May are every year. And so one of those, of course, everybody knows about is National Paper Airplane Day. Today is National Paper Airplane Day.
SPEAKER_06You weren't or folding them into something that actually flew. How did you know?
SPEAKER_00Because you tried them. I tried.
SPEAKER_06And they crashed and burned. Well, not burning because I was young. But they crashed. They just went pfft.
SPEAKER_00Well, but but maybe you didn't understand enough about aerodynamics about this marriage. Maybe I'm confident in that. Yes. Because you were farm girl, right? Exactly. Uh-huh. You didn't have time for this kind of stuff. When wind came along, it was a problem.
SPEAKER_06That's exactly right.
SPEAKER_00Trevor Burrus, Jr.: So, Ashley, Crystal, did you ever do paper airplanes?
SPEAKER_04Yes, and I'm terrible.
SPEAKER_00Terrible too, huh?
SPEAKER_04Same.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_00Did you?
SPEAKER_05Oh yeah. And you were good at it? Oh I'm still good at it. What are you talking about? Okay, we may just have to test you on that since we're going to be able to do that.
SPEAKER_00Let's pause this pause podcast. We'll take a moment here. We'll be right back. No, we'll move on. It is really to let out your inner child. And so I'm, you know, I've had an inner child when I was a kid, and I still do. So yeah, I think paper airplanes are just cool. Matter of fact, Miriam, um I was into space aeronautics when I was a very good thing. Really? Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06You went into be an astronaut?
SPEAKER_00I did. I did. As a matter of fact, I well, um I don't know what happened to that. Uh but uh but yeah, I actually got went from paper airplanes to uh model airplanes to rockets.
SPEAKER_05Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we even did payloads with live animals and stuff like that. You did payloads with brought them back to Earth safely most of the time. So anyway. So National Paper Airplane Day, your inner child today.
SPEAKER_05I'm going back to this. You actually put animals to try to get them to fly with you?
SPEAKER_00Not with me. I'm not a few years.
SPEAKER_05I mean with your construction.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. It was called Estus Rocket Program, so it's still around today. Oh, how interesting is that. How interesting is that. And it's really cool when the parachutes bring them down safely and then not cool when they don't. Yeah. So anyway, so but that's a rocket day. We'll get on that. Hopefully there's a national day on that one. I'm sure there is. National Paper Airplane Day, and then something. Come on, ladies, you've got to be into this one. National Cherry Dessert Day. National Cherry Dessert Day. Okay, what does that mean?
SPEAKER_03Cherry pie.
SPEAKER_00Cherry pie.
SPEAKER_06Cherry cobbler.
SPEAKER_00Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Cherry cobbler.
SPEAKER_06Cherry cheesecake.
SPEAKER_00Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_06Cherries. Cherry jam. Cherry.
SPEAKER_00Anything, right? Anything cherry. Yeah, cherry. Okay. So were you any good at that?
SPEAKER_06I am.
SPEAKER_00Okay, all right.
SPEAKER_06I climbed many trees to pick cherries for my grandma.
SPEAKER_00Oh, what?
SPEAKER_06I had to go up the tree to pick the cherries.
SPEAKER_00Up the cherry tree. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05So the grandma would then make something yummy with cherries.
SPEAKER_00Okay. All right. Uh huh. Was that California or Kansas?
SPEAKER_05Cherry trees in Kansas? Are you kidding?
SPEAKER_00I am kidding.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Because I'm like, yes, they have many.
SPEAKER_00How are they compared to Washington cherries?
SPEAKER_06Well, they're different because they're sour cherries. There's two, there's many kinds of cherries. I know. Washington cherries are usually bing cherries.
SPEAKER_00Bing, yeah. Instead of the sour cherries. So if you go to Dillon's for about 13 bucks, you can buy or about nine bucks right now, you can buy a mixed bag of those frozen.
SPEAKER_05Oh, you can.
SPEAKER_00Well they're good, yeah. You mix the sour and the sweet together, yeah, yeah. So anyway, National Cherry Dessert Day. It's about the dessert part.
SPEAKER_05I knew you were a cherry expert.
SPEAKER_00Well, on paper airplanes, I mean, I got it.
SPEAKER_05This really should be called the Berry Day.
SPEAKER_00Well, Cherry Berry Day. Okay, I got this day.
Restore Explained In Plain Terms
SPEAKER_00Well, anyway, let's talk about something pertaining to Topeka Rescue Mission, and that is how best to help the guest. And so there has been something in the works called the Restore program for some time. And so, Merriam, I know you're involved in this, and uh, Crystal Ashley, you're involved, obviously, co-directors. So, how do you explain what Restore is at Topeka Rescue Mission? And people know that people come to stay here. Um, there's education programs, there's food programs, there's life skills programs, there's job training programs, there's a rehousing program, there's been some outreach programs, a lot of programs that are going on here. What's Restore?
SPEAKER_04So um Restore stands for relationship engagement, support, trust, outreach, respect, empowerment.
SPEAKER_00Wow.
SPEAKER_05That's you now you know why we just say restore.
SPEAKER_00Yes, absolutely.
SPEAKER_05Very good.
SPEAKER_04If someone outside of TRM asks me what that means, um, I explain it as meeting people where they are. They come in and um some are lost, broken, some are at the lowest point of their lives, and we meet them right there and help them grow and get where they need to be.
SPEAKER_00That's kind of it in a small nutshell, I'm sure. Yeah. So it's attorney. So you listed off what that restore stands for. So let's unpack that a little bit. Go go through those again so that people can listen to them and maybe I can write them down. So restore stands for what again?
SPEAKER_03Relationship.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_03Engagement.
SPEAKER_00Engagement, okay.
SPEAKER_03Support.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_03Trust, outreach, respect, empowerment.
SPEAKER_06You gotta write pastor, Barry.
SPEAKER_00I know. Empowerment. Okay. Okay, so so relationships, uh, trust. I mean, there's some of that a bit built built into that, engaging with people. So obviously somebody comes in the rescue mission, they're experiencing homelessness. They wouldn't just come here just to hang out. Uh well, probably not. And so they're in need. Um you mentioned brokenness. Uh you mentioned yeah, so so relationship obviously is the first one on the list there. What's the value of relationship in regards to helping people to move forward in their lives who are experiencing homelessness now?
Why Relationship And Trust Matter
SPEAKER_04I would say that's everything. Um they come in, they they meet their case manager, and they start building a relationship with that case manager and building trust. Um and our our staff are trained in TBRI, trust-based relationship intervention. So that helps um build that relationship. Trust is the the forefront of it. Um the case managers walk alongside them and get to know them, get to know their needs, and how they can start knocking down barriers so they can eventually end up housed and hopefully sustain that housing.
SPEAKER_00Crystal, how does that practically walk itself out? Somebody comes in, they're they're whatever situation they came from, um, probably and many times very traumatic, but they have to come to a rescue mission for a place to live. Um how do you how does how does the team here, how do they engage with people to have that relationship starting? Because I'm coming here, I don't know you. Um, you know, I don't really even want to be here. Um, and uh there's some rules here. And I've got other people around here. I wish it was just for me, you know, so nobody else was around here, but there's got other people with a lot of problems around here. How do you break through that kind of defense or that kind of I'm not even sure I want to talk to anybody here, I just need three hots and a cot and get out of here.
SPEAKER_03It starts with compassion. Um you know, you want to sit down with the person when when the case manager first meets them, um they kind of get to know them, what brought them here, um, and just try to build that that bit of relationship and begin to process and let them know that we're here to help, we're here to guide them, that they have the love and support all around them. And yes, sometimes there's rules, but rules are for good reason. And um the outcome, of course, is housing, but that takes that's it's a process. It's all a process.
SPEAKER_00So is every guest that comes to the rescue mission um part of the restore program? Is that something that you just are gonna assume that if you're coming through those doors that eventually they're gonna be a part of sitting down with, she said, a case manager?
SPEAKER_03Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00So what if I'm here for one night? Um and I'm out of here. So obviously there's not a lot of time there. What what what do you look at in that regard? That person comes in and leaves, maybe they come back again, they leave again, they come back again, they leave again. What what do you do with those situations?
SPEAKER_03Well, when they they come in, it takes a couple days to get the case manager connected to them. But as soon as um they do and they realize that they've been here a few times and they're leaving and they're coming back and they're leaving and they're coming back. Um we really want to focus on why they're why they're doing that. Um and just try to encourage them uh to stay. I always tell them just stick and stay. Just stick and stay. It's worth it.
SPEAKER_00So some people, again, they don't know about the restore program. They don't know about what the rescue mission has to offer, and they're standing outside wondering, should I go in those buildings? Should I check into this place? How soon do they learn if they come in and they're saying, okay, I just want to see if this is where I want to be, how soon will they learn that there's more than just a bed here? Um is that right at the front desk at the intake time? Um, or is this a couple days later, or how soon will people know that there's something more here?
SPEAKER_04Well, that should be at registration um where the front desk will get them registered and um it kind of explained what the next steps are. Um, and then our team tries to meet with them within three to five days. Um at least uh give them a welcome letter. That way they know who their case manager is and uh what next steps are from there.
SPEAKER_00Is that happening yet?
SPEAKER_04Um I don't think so, but that would be exciting.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And then so we reel it back and explain.
SPEAKER_00So do you envision at some point for the broader homeless community um in our in our city, in our region here, um, of the restore program being known, being made known to people maybe sleeping in a car, maybe you know, in a camp, or maybe in a very bad situation that maybe they think it's not just a place to stay, but is that something that you hope to have out there?
SPEAKER_03Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Yes. How would you describe that to them?
SPEAKER_04That's a good question.
SPEAKER_06A great question. You know what I think I would tell people, Barry? It's that there are all different kinds of connections and ways that people can get to where they want to be. But coming to the rescue mission and working with our restore team is a way to have a lot of people that have resource information that can guide them very individually through what they might need. You know, just because someone is homeless doesn't mean that this homeless, this person experiencing homelessness and this person and this person all have the same needs. They don't, right? Or and they don't all need the same level of interaction. You know, we have folks that are experiencing homelessness that go to a job every day. You know, so there is just a very different kind of approach when you're thinking about this from an individual perspective. And I think that if people knew when they're ready, because honestly, people have to be ready to make some changes in their lives and put some discipline back in their lives in terms of, okay, I have to get this document and I have to do this and I have to do this. But I think the beauty of being able to do that at TRM is that you have people walking right along alongside you to get those things done. You don't have to think about, okay, now I don't even know what to do because your case manager is going to be there to help you.
SPEAKER_00I think it's an important point, Miriam. I mean several important points. One is not it's not one size fits all. Not everybody has the same need. Right. You can have somebody walking in who has a job who's full-time employed, but they aren't making enough to make ends meet to be able to afford housing, or they have debts or something happened. Um, or you have somebody who maybe has been actually without a home for years that are on the street. That's two maybe different different approaches. So so in regards to the restore program, you have somebody coming in, and so again, as to Miriam's point, not everybody's got the same level of need. So um how do you then tailor this program to their particular needs to help them number one, understand the value of being part of this program, and then two, really understanding how you can take them from where they are to where they need to be, which I can imagine is fairly complicated because they don't know you, you don't know them, and you're really starting from ground zero to try to build up a program. So how do you how do you how do you then determine what do you need to know in order to uniquely design a program for that person called Restore?
Intake Plans Three Goals Saving
SPEAKER_04Yeah, um so it starts with the intake assessment that the case managers do. Um that ask about their income, um, how they ended up homeless, um, about any debts they have, um, and then the case manager can kind of gauge um their level of need during that. Um then they make a goal plan. Um, three goals um that are easily not easily attainable, but um realistic.
SPEAKER_00Three. Three goals. Why three?
SPEAKER_04Um we don't want to overwhelm them. They're already overwhelmed um from being here in the first place. They have all these classes to go to and um all these things to get back on track in their lives.
SPEAKER_00So these are three initial goals when there may be a list of a whole lot more. Yeah, there's yeah, there's a whole lot more just them off as you go there. Okay step by step.
SPEAKER_04Yes. Um so once we get that going, um they explained the program um and some of the the rules in it. Um a big thing, especially if they have a job or like SSI income, we would love them to save 70 percent of their income. They're not paying rent here, they're not paying utilities. Um so we love that 70 percent to go either in savings or towards their debt, like evictions or utilities that would affect housing in the long run.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Ross Powell So obviously, to what you asked them in regards to their income level, what their what their what their obligations are, their debts are. How many people um is it is it frequent? They'll go, yeah, I'm gonna just tell you everything. I'm gonna just unpack my whole life for you, or is that a process of back to that relationship, that trust, so on and so forth. Do some people come in, um, I don't want you knowing my business?
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah. What do you do with that? So um unfortunately there there's consequences for things like that. Um you know they this is a program. We explained that it's a program. They have to work the program um in order to be here. We want to see them succeed. And that's when that tough love comes in. Like we love you, but we don't want to enable you. Uh we want you to get over those bad habits that you repeat it.
SPEAKER_00Somebody comes in and says, Hey, I don't want your program. I just need a place for a few nights. Umights turns into a couple of weeks, maybe a month, whatever. I don't want your program. I just want you to provide me a place to sleep and eat. What what what do you do with that?
SPEAKER_03Well, well, that that does happen at times.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um, and so the case managers will meet with them. Um, and each time, like we're explaining to them that like you don't where else can you go and live for free and just be able to focus on rebuilding your life? Some people accept that and want to move forward. Um, and others they'll leave and then they'll come back.
SPEAKER_00When they're more ready.
SPEAKER_03Or even when they're not ready, they'll come back and we'll try again. You know, our our arms are always open to help.
SPEAKER_00So I think that, you know, from a from a lister standpoint right now in the community, they generally most of the time think about Topeka Rescue Mission as being the place where you can go if you have nowhere else to go. And case closed, we're all good, you know, we're off the streets, we're in this emergency shelter. But what I'm hearing is, of course I know some of this, but I am hearing that it's needs to be more than that because and otherwise you're just enabling people to not go any further and they stay in their homelessness. But to speak a rescue mission's goal is to help them to move forward in that. And there's a bit of a nudge there. If you really want to be here, this is what you need to do. So, Miriam, you've been with the mission for a while. And so um talk about the perception of the community in regards to that, what you've experienced. Um people just don't want people to have to do anything, they just want to take care of people, they just want people having a place to go, an option. Topeka rescue
Readiness Rules And Tough Love
SPEAKER_00mission is that, but it's not just that. And how do you explain that in community?
SPEAKER_06You know, Barry, I think first I would say I don't think most people want folks to just have a place to go um and not have any kind of responsibilities. Um unless what you're saying is people just don't want to really have to see people who are homeless, then TRM can be that kind of place, right? But there is nothing about that that just allows somebody to come and um not have a different perspective on where their life could go, that's good, right? I mean, people need a purpose, and I think that the restore team is excellent at showing people that they can do more than they think they can do, you know, and give them this sense of worth and belonging and being a part of something. You know, people I know that people fight our team all the time about saving 70%, right? But all of a sudden, but they also want to get into housing or they also want to be able to continue to stay at TRM while they're trying to work all these things out. And then to the um Ashley and Crystal have both shared really exciting stories about people just being amazed when they're able to do it, right? So it brings this sense of pride and um worth and the ability to be responsible for themselves. That is a good thing that people are experiencing then, even if they don't think they will in the beginning. So I think most people in our community um appreciate knowing that there is more that we're doing for people than just letting them walk in the doors and lay down. Down all day. There that's just not it. You know, maybe for a couple of days while they're just kind of recovering from being outside for a long time and need to rest in a safe place, just like what we see with the warming centers, people just need to rest when and know they are safe. That is the case here too, right? But then to really get them kind of focusing on what does the future look like. And I think the community sees that as a real positive.
SPEAKER_00I think you're right. Um when they understand it. Yes. Otherwise, they only hear the rescue mission's got these rules, and I can't stay there because they have too many rules. These rules are more opportunity than they are a rule. Now you have any opportunity, you have to have a structure to it, a rule to it. Okay, somebody comes in, say it's me. I come in. Um I've been unsheltered for five years, maybe ten years.
SPEAKER_06Building paper airplanes.
SPEAKER_00Building paper airplanes and looking for cherry trees in Kansas. Um I'm really not interested in your program. I'm just tired. I just need a place to rest. And um, I've got an appointment now to see a case manager. I do not want to see a case manager, but I show up and I'm not cooperative. I'm just like, hey, you know, I really am not here. How can you help that person to be able to become interested rather than it just being a rule, hey, you know what? You've been here for five days, you're not in the program, you're out versus giving an opportunity for that person to get to know the value of this more and probably their own value. Because uh, as we've learned so many times, as people fear trying anything different than what they know because they've failed so many times, they don't trust themselves. How do you how do you not just follow the timeline of the rule and understand the need of the person? That's a tough one. How do you how do you do that?
SPEAKER_04Um I know our team is really good at um getting that person's story. If they've been out there that long, we don't want to just say, here's the rules, this is what you gotta do, or you're out. Um oftentimes our team will give them some time to just rest. Um if it's 30 days, that's fine. Uh we just want to make sure that they're in the right frame of mind to start meeting their goals and start building a relationship with their case manager. If they've been in survival mode that long, they're not gonna be able to focus.
SPEAKER_00Talk about that story. Uh your team spends some time getting to know their story. What what's what's that mean? What's the value of that?
SPEAKER_04Oh, it's very valuable. They, you know, they ask questions um like how long they've been out there, what caused them to end up out there, um, what brought them the TRM. Um they treat them as a person. They're not just a number on the or a name on their caseload, they're a person.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell You see people um once you give them an opportunity, give them that voice for their story that that it um is something that they're willing to do or wanting to do, or is that part of their part of their opening up to be able to say, here's here's where I've been?
Lived Experience And Trauma Support
SPEAKER_03I was just gonna say um one of the things about our case case managers, a lot of us have lived experience. So we're able to share that with them. And I think that kind of gives the pr the guest some hope.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell Do you share that with them? And again, for people who don't understand, lived experience is people who've been there done that. Yeah. In other words, we've experienced homelessness.
SPEAKER_03I've I've been where you're at. You know.
SPEAKER_00How does that help uh that person that you're talking to?
SPEAKER_03I think it helps tremendously. Um you see a light change in their eyes, like, okay, I'm talking to somebody that understands that gets it.
SPEAKER_00Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah. That is really huge. Yeah. It's a big, big big difference. And so Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Maybe it's even the biggest difference.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell What's that?
SPEAKER_06It it may be the biggest difference.
SPEAKER_00I think it is. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Um that they know that it's not just someone who has no clue what they've been through or has never been through any challenges or struggles. Um and I think then accountability holding someone accountable feels different too because you know, you know that it's hard to to live here. You know that it's not always easy to save money. You know that there are temptations that continue to raise their head, you know. So I think I think the lived experience that um people on our team have is is a really critical piece.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So taking a little dip deeper, a little bit deeper here, hearing the story, you hear some things that are beyond uncomfortable sometimes, that are pretty tragic, that um are uh the story is birthed out of traumatic experiences that people have had. Um how do you, as co-leaders of the Restore program, help your staff, help your team when they're hearing things that most people don't know about that have happened to people in their lives? How do you help them navigate um through that so that they do not um suffer themselves, sometimes especially with lived experiences of having had some things happen in their own lives before, that they don't um have some issues or get triggered with what's called secondary trauma?
SPEAKER_03Well, that's it's very important to have for sure. Um we do have the TBR trainings every so often. But that is um Um trust-based relationship intervention. Yeah. Uh-huh. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So trauma intervention program. Right. It's a formal training.
SPEAKER_03Um and we have um Mike, our chaplain, um, who is also available. Um but yeah, we we've had conversations with the case managers, like um they've had had to hear some hard stories. And of course they they pray with them, but then they come back and talk to us about it. And um I've prayed with I've prayed with one of our case managers um over some things, and it broke him down, and he was very upset um and sad for the gentleman. Um, but he also reflected back to there goes I, you know. Um so I think it's very um humbling um and a humble reminder of where you've been. And I think that inside that that gives you strength, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00So it almost could um then take the structure of the program and create more of an empathy in that program if you have an understanding. There's a risk in emergency personnel becoming very um protective of themselves, that they don't allow stories of people or what they see. I mean, you can't be um an ambulance uh person that goes out and breaks down and cries every time that you see an accident or something like that. You have to develop some type of a system. But at the same time, you can't be like, I don't care. And sounds like that's where a balance is where your team is coming to you when they've heard story. Um they're coming to unpack it with you. So it sounds like there's a team process here with the restore program. Okay.
SPEAKER_06You know, Barry, I I think the the thing here too is people do not come to work at TRM because it's a job.
SPEAKER_07No.
SPEAKER_06People come here because it is a calling. Absolutely. And I think, you know, the fact that we are Christ-centered, um our team has different places to get some support to carry these really heavy loads. Um, and you know, Crystal Crystal mentioned prayer. Yeah. I mean, I'm not sure that we have one team member, whether it's on the restore team or our shelter teams, any of our staff that would be able to carry what they carry and remain positive and compassionate, not be just become cynical without the fact that the Lord is guiding them every single step. And that cannot in any way be undervalued in terms of why then our staff can come back every single day to do it again, you know, to hear hard stories, to watch people just be broken, to see progress and then watch them slide back. You know, that that is not something that humans can just do without some sort of something.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I have a daughter who um works um trying to help medical missionaries stay on the field around the world. Um, they're in third world countries, these are all professional folks. And uh they've created a program, I believe it's called Thrive, to where they are helping those who are seeing these most horrendous of things h in in their in their experience as medical missionaries to be able to process it, to be able to get the kind of tools to stay on the field. And they're they're believers, they're Christians. Um, they can go back to this assignment, this mission that they're on, and so forth. But in fact, um trauma's trauma. And so you need to have a place that you can go, a safe place that you can go to help help the team. So um Topeka Rescue Mission for some time has had uh rehousing program, it's had uh outreach program, it's had uh case managers, it's had those kind of
What Makes Restore Different
SPEAKER_00things. Um so what's different about Restore from where it's been before? It's um you've had these uh different uh departments um of Topeka Rescue Mission. And so uh what's new other than a label? It's more than that. But what how do you explain what you've it's not a brand new thing that you have, it's a new improved thing. So talk about the new and improved and why this is a better way to go.
SPEAKER_04Um well, instead of having those three departments separate, well, we're under one roof, but the guests will be going from one place to the other and getting different case managers and things. Um with the restore program, they get a case manager, and that case manager walks alongside them for up to 12 months after they've been housed the entire time they're with one person instead of being handed off.
SPEAKER_00So I'm not getting handed from one person to the other. Exactly. And that is social service, isn't it, Miriam? I mean you come to this person for this one, then kind of another person, and then another person, and then you retell your story, your story. We learned this in the human trafficking. You gotta stop that because these folks have been through trauma don't want to be re-traumatized. Every time they have to tell their story again. Again and again. And so that's new, that's different, that's powerful. Um so yeah, I mean, that says a lot right there. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_06That's the whole point, right? And I think it's been about TRM really seeing we can do better, right? Like, where do we see the weaknesses in what we do? Not because we were doing things wrong, but were we really looking at it in the way that we were supposed to? And were we really making sure that we were guest-centered, right? Or were we doing what was what we thought was best for the organization, not necessarily the person that we're serving?
SPEAKER_00Trying to get people from here to there. You got a big task here, you got what 240, 250 people staying here. Um, sounds like everybody is eligible for the program if they want it. And so you got a lot of people. So, how big is the team to handle 200 and to 250 people?
SPEAKER_03Well, that's the beauty of having this team. Um, caseloads were really high. And um, getting the new people on on board, um, case managers on board, um, the caseloads won't be as high. So um be able to break break that 200 and some.
SPEAKER_00Um, some of our folks that come here and everywhere else in life are very needy. And you've got that one person. So if Miriam's my person, man, I gotta need to see Miriam today. I need to see her again tomorrow. I need to see her again the next day. How do you balance that out? Because that one person is not here just for one person, they're here for others. So how do you how do you help the guest of Topeka Rescue Mission, as well as your team member, know how to balance?
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell A gentle reminder, gentle explanation. Hey, I love you. I'm glad to see you today, I'm glad you're here, but I do have to have other people I'm working with.
SPEAKER_00So And sometimes that works, huh?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, it it does. They might call, but um I'll call you back.
SPEAKER_00So person-centered versus program-centered, um, which is easier said than done uh because it is a program. You've got a number of people here. There's a bottleneck of people, the rescue mission is full almost all the time. There's more people in the streets. We have the map program going on in regards to more people that could be eligible, not always a bed there. Um so you got people coming at you. Um, great needs, big needs. Um game here, it sounds like, is relationship towards housing. And so what is the need there between that relationship development while they're at Topeka Rescue Mission, helping them get the tools and getting the housing, what's some barriers that you're facing now in regards to getting people housed?
Barriers Documents Work Disability
SPEAKER_04Um I would say employment is a big barrier. Um in order to get employment, most of the times they need a cell phone. If they have no income, they can't get a cell phone. Um sometimes they don't have their social security card, they don't have their ID. So it's just starting at the the lowest barrier and working our way up. Um we'll go get the city ID or the state ID, then the social and keep building on the stick and stay.
SPEAKER_00Impossible. Stick and stay. Okay. So any kind of general time frame from a time a person comes into the mission to when they may be housed. And I know again, to Merriam's point, one size doesn't fit all. But have you had enough of this restore program in operation now to get a kind of a a cadence here that um somebody comes in pretty without anything towards a time that they're going to be able to get housed. Um a month? Is that six months? Is that a year?
SPEAKER_03Six months or more. It just kind of depends on the individual.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. This isn't like quick fix, 90 days and you're out.
SPEAKER_03No.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Okay. So all the things that you just mentioned in regards to some of the basic things, because getting a birth certificate, you're not from Kansas. Um even if you are, you can't prove who you are, because maybe you've been homeless for a long time, is no small task. They just don't hand those things out.
SPEAKER_01Right. Right.
SPEAKER_00And so it takes a time, a process. Sometimes you may have to get legal uh folks involved in that, um, wait on the mail, and all those kind of things. So um what about housing? Um well, excuse me, let me back it up. The employment. Some of our folks haven't worked for a while. Um, some have felony records. How challenging is that, and what do we need to do about that in order to help people to move forward and make more room for other people to hopefully end chronic homelessness someday to be able to get employment, income, those kind of things going? And then I'm gonna ask you about the housing piece. But w what do we need? What are some of the gaps in our community in regards to employment opportunities?
SPEAKER_04I would say it starts with training the person in professionalism, how to write a resume, how to write a cover letter, um, how to make the resume tailored to a job application. Um we have the care program, we have an employment specialist in-house that can help them, and we also connect them with community resources like the Topeka Workforce Center or Vocational Rehab. Um, that way they can build those skills up instead of just throwing them in front of a computer and saying, here, go apply.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. What about employers? What about on the out in the community end? Are people um opening up more towards uh employing somebody coming out of the rescue missions restore program? Have we got there yet?
SPEAKER_04Um it's getting better. I would say um with our life skills class, um, Robert is really good at connecting with those employers, um having them come in and be guest speakers and really seeing um the population we have here. Um, not just seeing them as homeless people that are going to cause a problem, uh, really seeing them as people that just need help. They just need a little training.
SPEAKER_00Employers, by and large, today are having a hard time finding good employees in certain areas of work um for a lot of reasons. If I'm an employer listening to this right now and I'm hearing, hmm, they've got a system here, you know, resume building, trying to get all the things you've got, employment specialists there, and so on and so forth. I might want to talk to somebody at the rescue mission. Who do they talk to? Say, hey, I've got some jobs. I want to possibly see if someone could come from the rescue mission to fill one of those jobs.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, they can come talk to me. Okay. Ashley Davis.
SPEAKER_00Okay, Ashley Davis. All right, we'll make sure we get your number out there or your email anyway. So, okay. So there's there's some room to grow there in regards to employment opportunities, income. Not everybody can work, though. Um, according to the rescue mission annual report for last year, 60-some percent, I believe it was, individuals have identified with a disability. That's huge. That's the adults. Um so what do you do with people that don't have the ability to work, to get an income, to afford rent, or whatever? What happens then?
SPEAKER_04Um well, we would see if they qualify for SSI. Um we would connect them with a source specialist in the past. A what specialist? A SOAR specialist. Talk about what source special. So ask me what that means. Okay. But I I know that they work closely with the Social Security Administration to get the um application expedited a little quicker.
SPEAKER_00So this is a trained certified specialist in regard, and if I understand correctly, according to Miriam, um, that uh they're looking at getting um some of the restore folks certified in as a SOAR specialist. Miriam's looking up SOAR right now. And uh so um I don't know what it means either. I just know it's been around forever and ever, and it is people specifically trained for people with disability, and here we go.
SPEAKER_06The answer is SSI, SSDI, outreach access and recovery. Very good.
SPEAKER_00SORES It's kind of like reaching the Trevor Burrus, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Helps individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have mental health disorders or co-occurring kinds of situations.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so having some folks here on the team that are SOR certified to be able to do that could expedite some of that. So that helps people to get to to that place where income may be coming in that then could provide housing because you don't have income. You don't have it from disability, you don't have it from uh a a wealthy uncle, uh, you don't have it from employment, you ain't getting in anywhere. Right. Except a place like the rescue mission. Yeah. So those sometimes can take a little bit longer than just getting a job.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00So there was one time that getting SSI certified or approved sometimes took a year or longer. And so that's a long time for somebody to be in a rescue mission.
SPEAKER_03It is. And and while they're waiting, we encourage um them to get on the THA wait list. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_00Which is peak housing authority. Yes, yes. Because they're income based.
SPEAKER_03Yes, because uh they're income-based. And the income that they're probably gonna receive isn't going to be a whole lot. Um and we don't want to see somebody paying out all of their income for rent every single month.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Okay. Jumping in, we're almost done here with this interrogation. I mean the questions. I appreciate it. You're doing a great job. I just think that it's so important that people get a little bit of understanding of the complexities of what people face as well as the opportunities that they have with this program called Restore Topeka Rescue Mission Housing.
Safe Housing Aftercare Landlords
SPEAKER_00Um, housing's been uh an issue to find uh what would be called safe, attainable, slash affordable housing. There are places that people can go that aren't safe. Um they can spin a right back around. They can be around uh bad influences that they had had before that maybe were contributors to their homelessness. Uh could be drugs, could be human trafficking, could be gangs, it could be just violence, um, those kind of things.
SPEAKER_06Aaron Powell Or it could just be places that nobody should have to live in. Yeah, exactly. You know, they're just run down or and not and I'm not talking about but still clean and orderly. No, just disgusting.
SPEAKER_00Aaron Ross Powell Very much. And they're out there, aren't they? Yeah. In our own community. Um I've seen them. Um like what? Somebody actually is renting this to somebody? Paying money. But sometimes that's all we got to go towards. So what what uh is the goal of restore leaders in regards to housing in the future? Are we good? Do we need more? What are we doing?
SPEAKER_03We absolutely need more. Yeah. We absolutely need more. Um, but I will say that um that's something that we work very hard on. We're very mindful um when we are working on placing help helping someone find the housing. Um if somebody's been in addiction, um, you know, and and here's the thing. Unfortunately, sometimes all you can't afford is places in those kinds of environments. But when the person leaves, we want to make sure they they've connected with resources outside of here. NAA church. That's where the aftercare also comes in. But yes, we need more housing options.
SPEAKER_00And landlords will work with you in regards to this.
SPEAKER_03We have um a handful of wonderful, wonderful landlords looking to build more relationships. So if anybody's out there that wants to work with us, let us know.
SPEAKER_00Call Ashley, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Call Ashley. No, no, that's great. And so I think and again, uh about uh I don't know if we talked about this when we had already started recording, but it's aftercare. It's caring for people after.
SPEAKER_03It's aftercare.
SPEAKER_00Uh-huh. And so up to 12 months. Yes. Um, which um means what? Um somebody goes into a really kind of really good, clean, healthy place, or maybe not. Doesn't matter. The restore team, that case manager is going to then stay with that person for up to a year.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Yes.
SPEAKER_03Work with them for 12 months.
SPEAKER_00What's the value of that?
SPEAKER_03Uh everything. I mean, it it's priceless. Because you're giving them that support, that connection, um keeping them connected to all the things that are going on in the community. Um it's huge. It's huge.
SPEAKER_06It's a game changer. And it's consistency again, right? So we've now picked people up out of the community that they know, dropped them into another community where they may know no one other than their case manager. So it's that person that can kind of help help to stabilize them in something that's new and frankly kind of terrifying for them. You know, I think all of us who have been housed for a long time, right, think, well, why would it be so difficult? Well, it's difficult. It's difficult. And you don't know anybody, and you may have a perspective of yourself that isn't it.
SPEAKER_00I don't belong here.
SPEAKER_06Exactly. And so then that makes it hard and it makes it lonely. And our team is the one then that really can be that stabilizer, right? That one person that they're gonna know, or that few people, you know, and our team takes them food, does all these different kinds of things.
SPEAKER_00So it's the glue that really keeps the whole thing together. It's about that relationship, that trust. It's got that person, that person's got a team, got that support. And Miriam is uh strategic development, a speaker
How The Community Can Help
SPEAKER_00rescue mission. It takes money. It takes resources for this kind of a team. Talk briefly about that. Nobody wants to hear about money, but I'm gonna tell you it's costing. It's costing not to do it. It's costing more not to do it than it does to do it. So speaker rescue missions, financial opportunities, needs for this.
SPEAKER_06So supporting this team is a huge thing, you know. And sometimes people are like, well, I don't want to pay for salaries. Well, without the people to help the people, we have nothing, right? We don't have programs, we don't have this or that. So um helping with that, if you'd like to be able to designate toward being somebody who helps with the money that helps us pay people rent. Because that's one thing too, Barry. It isn't just about us just giving money to folks to pay their rent. We assist them with rent and deposit, but it's on a tiered down basis, right? So while our contribution is going down, their contribution and level of responsibility is going up.
SPEAKER_00Right? So it's so it's not like a year they get their rent paid for. It's uh you may start out with 100% or whatever it is, and gradually it tears away to where they're fully responsible.
SPEAKER_06Abs a hundred percent for everything. So I think you know, any way that people could um get involved with investing in our ability to uh help in that way would be incredible. But anything that you give to TRM is going to be utilized in a way that's trying to help people stabilize.
SPEAKER_00Can people help out as a volunteer in this program as well?
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_00Okay. So there's volunteer opportunities. Yes, there is.
SPEAKER_03I'm writing with one today.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Oh, very good, very good. Well, um Ashley Crystal, anything else about Restore?
SPEAKER_06You know, Barry, one thing I want to add before I'm going to ask and then you ask them. One thing, you know, we we talk about, you know, if they're not in compliance with the program, they're gonna have to leave. What I want people to know though, that means they're gonna probably get a letter that says in 30 days, you have to go. It isn't like, okay, you're not willing to tell me this and that, tomorrow you leave. No. People have this opportunity to change their mind. It isn't just on these kinds of situations that we're talking about that if you don't tell us how much you have in your bank account, or if you say no to saving, you're out tomorrow. No, you you then you're given this notice. Almost like, yeah. You've got their ready to go to school now.
SPEAKER_00I mean, there's some people that go to school and they say, yeah, I'm not ready for school, and then sometime later I'm ready for school.
SPEAKER_06Yes, exactly.
SPEAKER_00So I'm ready to do something with my life.
SPEAKER_06So now ask them this.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh you know, I want to you made me think of one more thing uh in that regard is that it's not this or nothing, because the networking of Topeka Rescue Mission and other entities in our community has for five years created something called the Moving Ahead Partnership Map. So if somebody is unsheltered, it's not like, hey, they've got to wait 30 days, they can get a shower, they can get food, there's caseworkers there. Topeka Rescue Mission, a big partner in that, obviously, in the Children's Palace now for what we call the Compassion Impact Center. And so it's not like bye, we don't want to see you for 30 days. There are some other options here. And there's yeah, Stormont and Astra and all those kind of things that then can help encourage someone to say, hey, you know what, you might give another shot over at TRM. And so it's uh this community is really pretty cool about that stuff. Of course. Okay. Crystal, Ashley, anything else today?
SPEAKER_04Um, I just want to say that um I'm so proud and happy to be a part of Restore. Um we're making history for TRM, and it it's it's just amazing. And um I want to thank our leaders for trusting us to lead this team. Absolutely. Um they couldn't pick a better partner for me. Or me. And vice versa. Um I'm just excited to to see what unfolds. Absolutely. Okay. I second all of that. Okay.
SPEAKER_00Well, well said, both of you. Thank you. And thank you for what you're doing. Thank you for saying yes to this assignment. And thank you for um understanding that you are uh blazing a trail here, that history will look back and say it worked or it didn't work. And uh it should work for every reason because it's about loving people, putting them first.
Closing And Where To Learn More
SPEAKER_00So if you'd like more information about Topeka Rescue Mission, you can go to TRMonline.org. That's TRMonline.org. You'll find out information about a lot of things Topeka Rescue Mission does and ways that you can also participate through volunteering, financially contributing, materially sharing what you have, and of course, praying. Thank you for being a part of our community, our mission.