Message from Rosemarie

Listening House celebrated 25 years in December, and April 1st marked my 10-year anniversary.  It’s difficult to calculate all that has changed, and rewarding to realize our purpose remains vital to both those we serve, and the larger downtown community.

Our relevance is rooted in basic human needs: A sense of purpose and a sense of belonging.  This explains why volunteers, staff and guests appreciate that as humans we share much in common.  It is the reason beat officers want to become acquainted with people in a non-arrest situation.  It reflects the ongoing support of donors who never enter our doors, as well as those who conduct drives on behalf of our mission.  It answers why hospital workers, church staff, librarians, and business people desire partnership so that together we can create a stronger downtown. And it’s why our guests say they feel respected at Listening House.

A mission of hospitality calls for a welcoming presence, balanced by an expectation that each person respect other guests, staff/volunteers and neighbors.  It means we ask and give
forgiveness, and in that process become better persons. It is understanding that depending on others for basic needs wears on the human spirit, and people feel better when they “earn” their own way.  And it’s being conscious that even though past ties are frayed or broken, family and friends often love that person and want to know they’re okay.

Archbishop Oscar Romero, an advocate for poor and oppressed people of El Salvador once wrote, “This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow.  We water seeds already planted, knowing they hold future promise.”  Our founders understood listening was a way to heal, and they placed value in creating a space where anyone could belong.  For all that has changed in our community and society these past 25 years, the need to feel wanted remains essential for strength of mind, and is worthy of honor.