Copyright timesofsandiego
The highest calling any of us can have is to walk with the struggling — whether they are grieving, lacking enough to eat or without a home. That desire is what ultimately led me to Father Joe’s Villages, after a long journey through the corporate world. As I tell people, I am not the president and CEO who happens to be a deacon. I am a deacon and my ministry is my role at Father Joe’s Villages. I remain guided by my faith and by our life changing work. To serve at Father Joe’s Villages is to be enveloped by daily miracles big and small: a child who finally feels safe enough to laugh and play; a veteran who finds help for their PTSD; a person who overcomes their battle with substance use; a family moving into their first home after many months. For 75 years, this has been our ultimate measure of success: that we holistically and comprehensively provide a lifeline for everyone who comes through our doors. Despite all the progress we and our region have made to provide shelter, housing, sustenance, and care for our most vulnerable, thousands of people slip through the cracks. According to the latest Point in Time Count, 9,905 people in San Diego County currently experience homelessness and roughly one in three are seniors just entering their golden years. As the San Diego Hunger Coalition has found year after year, one out of every four San Diegans experience food insecurity. Substance use continues to steal lives, with 291 people dying on the streets as a result of overdoses this year alone. Worse yet, even more of our neighbors may fall into homelessness or go hungry should millions of dollars in federal and state funding cuts to vital housing and shelter services be allowed to pass and should the government shutdown continue. We recognize that our community may feel jaded, or even fatigued with these seemingly insurmountable problems, especially now. Yet, to ensure organizations such as ours are able to meet an unprecedented increase in needs, our community must come together to help fill these gaps. As we have done throughout our 75 years, we continue to innovate to meet emerging needs, through our new detox center, which provides substance use recovery; our therapeutic childcare that helps end the generational cycle of homelessness; our street health that meets people where they are and provides medical care in nontraditional settings; or our employment center that prepares individuals for work and self sufficiency. The positive difference we’re able to make in the lives of those we’re blessed to serve is a direct result of the support of our community. I serve however I am called to meet the moment, always with God’s help and to His glory. Being at Father Joe’s Villages is my greatest honor. To end homelessness within our lifetimes requires tenacity, hope and an indomitable will to work towards a world where no one is without food on their tables or a warm place to sleep. I invite you to join us in answering this call. Deacon Jim Vargas is president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. Want to submit a letter to the editor, guest column or opinion piece? Find our guidelines and submission form here.
