By Sheila Feldman Buckmaster
I arrived ten minutes early for my interview with TIS guest Derek, who walked in right behind me. It felt like a fitting way to begin—a small connection that reminded me we were already on common ground.
As we entered the TIS office, I noticed a sign on the wall. It displayed one of those uplifting maxims that seem to appear everywhere these days, like mushrooms after a rain. This one read: “You are making a difference every day.” Little did I know those words would become the theme of Derek’s story.
For starters, they certainly apply to the staff, volunteers, and donors who keep TIS moving forward, helping people gain life skills and independence. “It is a safe place,” Derek says, “that inspires deep gratitude.”
At the time of this writing, Derek has been a TIS guest for just one month. He describes the shelter as “an amazing place of serenity and support.”
Before coming to TIS, Derek was receiving help at Grace Street Recovery Wellness Center for substance-use recovery. Because Grace Street is not residential, he was effectively homeless. “I haven’t touched any drugs for two years… as of June 19th,” he shares with obvious pride.
With addiction no longer controlling his life, Derek still faced another challenge: he had nowhere to live. A good friend spoke highly of his experience at TIS and encouraged him to apply. He remembers meeting “Miss Sadé, Director of Operations, and Mr. DeWayne, who would become my Case Manager.” Derek felt confident after the interview. “TIS,” he says, “could help me on my journey toward a stable life.”
But his connection to Grace Street didn’t end there.
Today, Derek works there, helping others who are beginning their own recovery journeys. It is a paid position, though the salary alone is not enough to provide financial independence. “I do support work with those on their way from addiction to recovery,” he explains. Every Wednesday, he helps feed about 30 people with meals prepared by a woman he calls “an angel.” Some of those individuals, he says, have not eaten in two or three days.
But let’s return to the focus of this story: TIS.
“I met with Mr. DeWayne, my Case Manager, this morning,” Derek says. “I wanted to have some good news to share with you.” He tells me about his goals: improving his credit score, learning financial planning skills, and enrolling at Chesapeake College. He admits he does not yet have a defined career path.
“I just want to learn,” he says. “I am seeking progress, not perfection.”
Every TIS guest is assigned a chore—or two. Derek speaks about his responsibilities with both pride and gratitude as he learns the value of accountability. “I mow the grass, weed, and use a battery-operated blower to clean up the landscaping,” he says. “God will help me make the right choices.”
So does he consider himself religious?
Without hesitation, he answers: “Spiritual.”
As I listen to Derek speak, I find myself thinking about humanity and empathy, about what it means to move toward a more stable life.
“When you help people grow,” Derek says, “you help yourself grow.”
And that brings us back to the words on the wall.
Because when it comes to the kindness and support offered by TIS staff, volunteers, and donors, they truly are “making a difference every day.”
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