Tracy began volunteering at The Scott Mission four years ago.
She knew her specialty in healthcare as a nurse was needed among the homeless population and that through her caregiving, she could build relationships to share Christ’s mercy and love with people utilizing the Mission’s many services.
So when the Mission’s leadership recently asked Tracy to join their staff to keep COVID-19 from gaining a foothold, she had just one word for them . . . “Absolutely.”Â
When Tracy first felt the call to volunteer at The Scott Mission, she prayed to God, asking, “What can I do? Can one person really do anything to make a big difference?’”
Today, working at the Mission on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, she says that God has shown her the difference one person can make.
“My work is primarily with the overnight shelter. It’s a really challenging time for them—as much as it is for everybody else,” Tracy says. “The Mission is trying to keep them as safe as possible. Every evening, I screen all the staff and all the shelter clients for symptoms. We are doing our best to maintain integrity and keep the clients and staff safe.
“When the guys come in, they’re tired and stressed. Many of them are very afraid. They see what’s going on, and they know that they’re considered an extremely high-risk population. I ask if they have other needs to talk about or if they want to pray together. We want to keep them safe and provide for their needs, but we also want to support them emotionally and spiritually.
“The Scott Mission has done so much for 78 years now. They provide food, shelter, clothing, and run recovery programs. The staff here really care. This is not a project; it’s not a job. This is their mission and purpose.”
But Tracy also understands that The Scott Mission can’t do all they do without ongoing support from many friends and partners—especially now in the wake of an epic health crisis that has devastated our economy. “They need our help, every little thing we can give,” she says.
“There’s a very high possibility that the number of people needing help is going to become exponentially larger, so it’s going to take all hands on deck. Everybody has something to give and can make a difference.”
Please share a gift today to ensure The Scott Mission can continue to meet the ongoing and growing needs of so many families and individuals in addition to providing vital resources for staff who continue to share the mercy and love of Christ on the frontlines of this health crisis!
“God has taken such good care of me. I want to pass that on and pay it forward,” Tracy says. “If I’ve made a difference in one person’s life, then I’ve done something that mattered.”
“Everybody has something to give and can make a difference.”— Tracy (TSM Nurse)
