CWRU Labre: A Homeless Outreach Ministry

On any given night, there are up to 60 homeless people sleeping in the streets of downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and hundreds more in local overnight shelters and rapid housing. Though homelessness is a visible issue, many people aren’t aware of just how pervasive and complex the issue of poverty is. Though shelters are able to help hundreds, often thousands, of hungry and homeless people per day, there exists a large population of shelter-resistant homeless people in Cleveland. Shelter-resistant homeless people are homeless people who are difficult to reach by traditional means such as soup kitchens and shelters.

Shelter-resistant homeless populations face heightened dangers due to cold weather, theft and discrimination; Even when temperatures plummet in winter months and emergency shelters open their doors, many people will stay outside, exposing them to hypothermia and cold-related injuries.

In 2010, a group of students of Case Western Reserve University formed CWRU Labre, an outreach ministry under the Newman Catholic Campus Ministries at the university that seeks to provide food, supplies, and company to the shelter-resistant homeless in Cleveland. CWRU Labre is one of several Labre groups in the Cleveland area who get their name from St. Benedict Joseph Labre, the Catholic patron saint of homelessness.

These groups take different routes on various days of the week, and these efforts are coordinated through the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, or NEOCH.

The homeless tend to be dehumanized in modern society, so CWRU Labre puts a special emphasis on building relationships with the people they visit. Rather than simply providing food and supplies, CWRU Labre takes the time to have meaningful conversations and interactions with the people they serve. CWRU Labre strives to help the people they serve continue to have beneficial human contact because, due to the nature of shelter-resistant homelessness, they may not be able to receive emotional aid from shelters or soup kitchens.

Every Monday night, a group of four to six students pile into a van in order to drive a 40 mile route around the Cleveland area and provide food and hygiene supplies as they go. They serve anywhere from eighth to 45 people per night, and they take the time to truly interact with some of the most marginalized and ignored people in Cleveland.

One of the regular volunteers and CWRU Labre’s president, Stephanie Striegel, sat down to talk about her experiences with CWRU Labre and the impact it has had not only on the people Labre serves, but the volunteers as well.

Though she is a senior nursing student with a very tight schedule, Striegel took the time to clear up some common misconceptions she has encountered throughout her service.

She said, “You might think, ‘Oh they’re homeless they’re going to be depressed all the time’ but that’s not true at all. You can talk and talk, and have a lot of the same conversations that you might with friends on campus.”

In talking to some of the shelter-resistant people Labre visits, Striegel realized that there are “so many routes to homelessness.” She has met people ranging in education, status and ability, and reminded those who may be quick to judge the homeless that “You never truly know where people come from.”

She also discussed the importance of respecting the people the CWRU volunteers visit.

During volunteer orientation sessions, the experienced members of Labre “always ask of people is that they’re careful of where they step and touch, because you have to remember that these are their homes.” Striegel added, “We want to be respectful of their space.”

Striegel reflected on a few of the most memorable experiences she has had with Labre that made her realize the group’s efforts were having a lasting positive impact.

Labre visits a makeshift shack in a secluded location, and though the builder of that structure had passed away, leaving the other, more reticent resident alone, Labre kept visiting. Striegel recounted with a smile that one night when CWRU Labre visited, “he had chairs out one day for everyone that was coming.”

And though one of their regular visitees had acquired housing, Labre still visits him because, “we don’t just let relationships like that go.” For a lot of people, Striegel noted, shelter-resistance often means less personal contact and that the people living outside of shelters can become quite lonely. Striegel smiled, recounting the stories that have made her feel that the emotional impact Labre has, and the connections they make, are lasting and meaningful.

For Striegel, being a part of CWRU Labre has been extremely positive and eye-opening. “It’s given me a broader worldview and more respect for people of different backgrounds.”

Striegel said that for those interested in taking part in CWRU Labre’s efforts, “The best way to get involved is to email labreinfo@case.edu.”

Note: due to the laws and guidelines restricting homeless persons from constructing residences within city limits, names of residents have been omitted from this piece. To respect the privacy and of those they visit, CWRU Labre does not provide pictures of residents and their homes.