In case you ever wonder what we do at SYM, I want you to know that I can very confidently assure you that, in fact we the staff absolutely and certainly…wonder the same thing on a regular basis. What are we doing, what are our goals? How can we be better? As a non-profit serving a population with ever-changing needs, the program is constantly being revamped and recreated to continue to be a place that can effectively connect and partner with the at-risk youth of Seattle while affirming their God-given identities.
Being a small organization, we recognize that SYM will be whatever we make it. Someone had an idea to connect with the neighborhood in a new way, outside of our age restrictions- boom! Coffee Runs were birthed! What we thought was going to be a Summer of Art has now morphed to a whole new space above our offices with a growing collection of musical instruments and art supplies to spur and foster creativity! All aspects of our programs continually evolve to best meet the needs that arise. We are blessed with the freedom to be fluid.
At some point it seems that all of our staff members took on the role of “Case Manager”, in one way or another. Each person who works at SYM right now has such a heart for the individuals we serve that they simply take it upon themselves to fill needs and build relationship wherever opportunity presents itself, whether it seems to align with their title or not. From our Executive Director driving a client to the emergency room in the middle of a work day or our newest drop-in staff taking someone to church with him on a Sunday, this is what we do.
I love the freedom to do whatever needs to be done. I get paid to love people! I even have an SYM credit card to spend where need arises. That was a new thing for me- I’m used to helping out and giving of my own limited resources. And while SYM surely has limited resources as well, I swipe that card to do good for clients with a faith that says money is no obstacle. In the past month, I may have gone over budget. Not carelessly overspending…but let me share my transactions with you. You see, one guy just got out of jail and he came back to visit our office with a renewed relationship with God and hope in his heart. I walked with him down the Ave while he looked at options for work. I bought him lunch at a teriyaki joint where we sat and discussed his plans for the future. His future looks bright! I have two March receipts from mentorship meetings with the beloved miracle of a young woman who is now in a faith-based recovery program and asked me to be her sponsor through it. I love meeting with her and hearing about what God is doing in her over a cup of coffee or at a restaurant. There’s something about food that deepens fellowship, so it is my honor to treat her. On one of these occasions, as we were driving to find a coffee shop, we passed by another one of our clients, hunched over a cardboard sign on the corner. I pulled over, gently shook him awake with a hug and got him some food and drink from the shop he was panhandling in front of. He came into drop-in the next day to access services again after we hadn’t seen him in a few weeks. Maybe he just needed a reminder that there’s a safe place with people who care about him[a lot!]. Other times I have used my SYM credit card in the past month include filling the van with gas to then load it with young people and go to the Seattle Aquarium for an afternoon. We paid for parking downtown, but the aquarium blessed us with tickets so the main event was free, leaving plenty of room for Dick’s burgers afterward! I bought a light rail pass to easily travel down to the King County Courthouse to show support at a hearing for one of our clients who is currently in jail. I bought a book of stamps to be able to send letters to him and others, and we put a little cash on his books. I even bought pregnancy tests when a client had the need.
Those are some real-life examples of how I spent time/money in SYM’s name in a month’s time[and these are things outside of drop-in]. I know that my coworkers act in a similar way- as needs arise. These little things tend to add up by the time we tally at the end of the month, but we see this as the proper stewardship of our resources. You cannot put a price on the impact any one of these small shows of love can have on a young person’s life. That’s why we constantly pray to the Lord for provision- ABUNDANCE EVEN- to continue in the work SYM has been accomplishing for the past 30 years; forever learning how to better serve young people in Seattle, throughout the ebbs and flows of life necessities!
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:8
Thank you for reading, may you be blessed to bless others, in Jesus’ name.
-Chelsea Araneda