I have done 50% I need someone to complete the work (Qualitative Research Coding -Interview Coding)

· Children serving

· Hugging dirty

· Smelly people

· Major Theme Sustainability

· Hearts

· dedicated stewardship

· mission focus

· work,

· leadership,

· followers,

· unity

· Major Theme - Play on strengths – turn negatives into positives

· strengths

· negatives

· Major Theme – Passion

· Heart

· Dignity

· respect

· Major Theme Move people

· temporary to permanent housing

· rapidly

· Major theme Mission

· make homelessness rare

· brief

· nonrecurring

· Major theme Bad Catholic, good Christian

· Major theme Controversy

· stop tent city

· trainer

· combat negativity

· grass roots battle)

· Major theme Funder expectations versus client needs

· Major theme knowledge

· Power

· send me back to do more

· do better

You talked about, at one point in your life, exploring an opportunity with the UN or wanting to do foreign service. And do you think back on that as a fork in the road? For you, was it one of those types of choices that you made? And had you gone that route, what do you think was-- beyond just the foreign service and living abroad and the experience of that-- in looking back on it now, what do you think was driving you? Were there elements of leadership or how did you see yourself making a difference in service with the UN?

There was probably a crazy thought because now I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world for what I'm doing for working with the homeless. But I think I thought I would make a difference in the world and out in another country were there-- so it's really sort of similar, but not some more where I could make a difference with other people and other nationalities that were struggling. And I think that's one of the reasons I probably wanted to do that.

But I was very young. I mean, I was 18. That's 60 years ago. And we have crazy thoughts when we're young. But I think I wanted to make a difference. And I had been in Europe and I love Europe. And I love languages and I love people. And I loved going different places and talking to different people. So that's probably what motivated me to be that-- but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

You shared with us some stories about some difficult situations that you were in, and you may have already touched on maybe the toughest one for you. But I know that there have been many, many challenges that you've dealt with and many what felt like crisis at the time. Could you think through maybe what you might consider to be what occurs to you at this moment the toughest client, the most difficult situation that you have ever encountered in your work?

I think I told you about the toughest client was the one that was 10 years homeless, 10 years homeless wandering around and a very manipulative personality. And when they came to us-- when I took you where they went to them and tried to help them and get them in school and get them in permanent housing. But what I didn't say is they came back to us to thank us, the wife did. She did not remember even talking to the case manager. She was almost, I want to say, catatonic. She was so disabled from her physical condition that she couldn't even remember talking to them.

So I asked the father. And I said, what made you not put them in school. Why did you not put them in school? I don't understand. The kids have to go to school with paid for. We would help you with the uniforms. Why did you not put them in school? And you know what he said to me? Which really made me think, I wanted them to be home with their mother because our mother was dying.

Now how can you say something negative to that? How can you say something? And people were very upset at him. And I said, well, now that he explained it to me, I said, you should have talked to someone honey and told them that. And we would have helped you. Maybe we could have gotten you in home school. Or maybe there are some things that we could have done to help you, because I don't believe that it's cookie cutter.

You can't give Mary the same thing that you give Harry or Sam. And the problem with government funding is sometimes you have to do the same with Harry and the same with Sam. And you have to do that. But when you have private funding, which I don't think any nonprofit is really good at, you can say to your donor, well, I'll be a good Steward of the money and I'll show you where the money's going. But I would like to do those unorthodox kinds of things that normally are not done to help that family move forward.

So I think you're leading now into one of the other questions we wanted to come to. And that is-- what is the story? You mentioned you have to tell the story. And you mentioned funders and you mentioned donors. And you've got the clients. You've got community. There are a lot of stakeholders that are involved.

Everybody.

Everybody's a stakeholder. And so what's the story? And you may tell different stories in different contexts. But what's the story you tell donors?

Exactly what I've been telling you. I work with the homeless. I work with families. It's not all alcohol and drug. Sometimes is just circumstance. And Ed reminded me today of his daughter. I always had kids. They call it child boot camp. And I always had kids out at Pinellas Hope because I thought it was really good for them. Some of them who had teenagers who were having a problem would send their teenage kid for me for the summer and have them volunteer with me because I would work with them with the clients.

And they used to give us breakfast. I did it as family. And the kids came. They were seven, eight. They were young. And I had them go speak to the homeless. And they said, is it safe. I said, of course, it's safe. Go sit down. Go talk to them. And my godchild was listening to one of the stories. And one of their stories was, I lost my family in a car accident. They were all wiped out at once. I was doing fine. Then I started drinking. And it escalated. And now I'm homeless. And she went and told that story and did it at an appeal to get--

So people have to realize that it's not a bad person. They're all people. And they make mistakes. And you make mistakes and I make mistakes. We make mistakes. And we need somebody to help us with those mistakes and move forward. We don't just fund them. We make sure that they're sustainable. And when we leave that house, we pray that they are sustainable and can stay in that house on their own. And we try to teach them the tools. But they have their choice to take the tools or not take the tools.

And thank you for bringing in sustainability. We were thinking and discussing ways in which you see-- and you've already touched on a piece of it with a comment you made about-- trying to get churches working together logistically to support work. When you're no longer able to do what you do, how do you see the sustainability of this effort? And what are the critical business pieces that you have worked to put into place and that need to be in place in order for this to be a sustainable, viable support?

You need follow up. And you're not funded. Sometimes you're funded for follow up, but not always. And so we need to get volunteers. And volunteers are so important. I mean, I could never run Pinellas Hope without volunteers. I can't even tell you how many volunteers I have. I mean, every meal, 365, three meals a day, volunteers-- that's a lot of volunteers. And a lot of them would have been willing to do follow up. All I probably would have had to do, but I didn't think of it then.

I asked them, could you go make a visit to this house. And of course, they would have done it. I don't think there's any question that they would have done it. Because people with good hearts that want to do that will also do something-- now maybe they can't do both, but maybe they could take a choice and do one or the other.

And is the message to funders different than the message to donors?

Not so much, except I have some donors-- in rapid rehousing, you get one chance, two chance, three chance, four chances, and you can keep going and the funders will say, well, I've already spent $10,000. I'm not going to spend more than 10. 6 months, $10,000-- that's it. They're out. Well, maybe I have somebody with no income. They have eight children. They're not going to make it in six months. Maybe they need 12 months to get sustainable.

So with funders, I think what you have to do is really educate them. It's not cookie cutter. I can't promise you that in six months I put that person in there that they'll be in there. I might need more for them. Or I may need less. Some people-- all you need to do is give them a push and they're gone. And they're fine, one or two months. And some people, like that family, will be helping them for a long time. Even if they're in permanent housing, they don't have any income. I think that's what funders have to understand.

And I wanted to go to your childhood and you previously said your dad was very strict and your mom was funny and lean. So did you see your parents in yourself? Did that really reflect in your personal characteristics?

Absolutely. I got both. I'm blessed. I got my dad's push, and I got my mom's love. So I'm very blessed. I love to have fun.

So this is what do you need in non-profit organization-- I mean, to you have to--

I don't know. I'm very different. And I know I'm very different. I love to work. To me, work is nothing. And people say, why are you sitting there. And I say, because I like it. I enjoy being with the client. I enjoy the work. But to me, I've got a little bit of both of them because I do love to do both. And I don't need to do anything else. I'm very happy doing what I'm doing. At this age, if I made this long, I'm good.

So you say we have to match people with the skills. How did you do it in nonprofit organization?

Well, I did it when I did the employment agency. And you reflected all the things that you've done in your life and what leads you to do this. All those things that I did before helped me do what I do now because now I try to work with my staff to be able to place people and to match them. And you have to play on somebody's strength. OK, you've been in prison for two years. And now you're out of prison, and now you have to get a job.

You made it in prison. So you have stamina. So now I go to that employer and I say, it's true. He has a felony. But he can do this and that. And he made it through prison. And he's out now, and he wants to start his life over. Let's give him a chance. People listen to that. You have to play on people's strengths, not on their weaknesses.

And when you're upset with something, you have to be able to turn it around and make it a positive. And that's what I try to teach the clients-- turn your negative into-- don't tell me you don't like being here and that it's not clean or it's not kept up or whatever. We're in a very old building, folks. Go clean it. Go help do it. You can't always be negative. You've got to be positive.

Did you have a training program when you were hiring people to work with you? We do now. It's also a bone of contention. We have a young man from Canada. And he's been homeless. He is smart, and he knows rapid rehousing and trying to get people in. And we have him a lot. We're blessed. We have him four times a year for five days. And he's very expensive.

Well, we had this great idea that we would have a meeting in a hall or our donors and invite our donors to come to this meeting. So we sent out just a little flyer. I didn't see the flyer before it went. If I had, I probably would've stopped it. And we had the flyer with his face. And when they took it off his website, well, yes a bit of a potty mouth. And he was just a little bit different. He has the jeans and the flip-flops and the long hair and the potty mouth. But he's very smart, and he's a very good trainer.

Well, shitty was one of the words. Potty mouth was one of the words. And it was on the back of the flyer because it came off his website. Well, my older Catholics didn't take two cares. And in fact, one of our board members came in to me. She said, did you know about this. And I looked at it. I thought, uh, oh.

And I said, is that you have training your staff, somebody who does that. And I said, yes, ma'am. He's very good at what he does. And our staff know that it doesn't mean he was disrespectful. It doesn't mean that he doesn't honor the clients or the staff. And I sent a note to our development officer. I said, you'd better watch what you send out. So yeah, you have to be--

You say also, the check it's hugging and loving people. What that's bringing in you? What sense, I mean, did you have when you hugging people?

I don't know if it's more for me or more for them. For them, it's a hope and they know somebody loves them. I don't care if they're dirty. I don't care if they smell. I just don't care. I don't care. And that hug to them means so much. If you knew how many people have stopped in to see me, I didn't think I'd see some of my clients ever again after I left Pinellas Hope. I've probably seen 40% of them. They all know I'm there, and they stop in for that hug to tell me that they're OK. So I think, for me, it's something that I'm hugging them and telling them that there was hope because I truly believe that. And for them, they're receiving that hope, I hope.

You say you wish to start to work with non-profit organizations since, I mean, you're starting your career. Why, I mean--

They are the only ones that would hire me when I was 28. I didn't have my degree and needed a job, and I was good at numbers. And I just dug in and loved it. It was passion. And I don't think anybody can really do a job without passion. I mean, I guess you can. But I don't see that.

Did you say you need specific degrees, specific skills to work in nonprofit organization?

Well, in some other positions, absolutely. And when I was the head of Catholic Charities-- I remember when we were accredited and I did-- I don't know-- four accreditations. And I was always expedited. It always went really well. So the last time that they came, my CEO was gone in the past. And we didn't have a CEO. I reported directly to the president of the board. And I was the COO. But I really acted like the CEO.

And the first time they hit the thing I said, I don't have a degree, and I'm doing a lot of stuff. And I know you don't like that. Not a problem, they said your staff has the heart and has the dignity and they all know respect for the client. That's all anybody wants. They want you to care for the people you're taking care of, put them first, not second, put the staff and them first-- staff, your human capital is very important to take care of that.

Jeff opened up the first session and asked the question and mentioned that the question would come back.

I got it. I remember it. I know, but I remember it.

So what would you ask God?

Send me back. That's what I tell God. Send me back. Let me start over with everything I know.

Why?

Because I love it so much and because I think I could do more good. And I think I could do it probably better because knowledge is power. And when you've made mistakes and you know what to do, that's what it takes. Send me back. I want to go back. Not time to rest yet. Time to keep going.

What is the goodness that you see in this?

You're making the world a better place because you're helping people. And even if you help one person at one time, you have a collection when you're done. And that collection will make a difference. And when they go out-- I mean, I have-- some of them are so kind-- I mean, most of them are kind. I wouldn't say some. Most are so kind.

And when I go in there every day, I ask them, what have you done to help somebody else today. This just isn't a place to be. This is, have you done something. Oh, I helped the lady with the groceries the other day or I was here and I did this. Good job, because I think they feel better. Don't you feel better when you do something for somebody else? I know I do. And it makes you feel better.

And if they're in a position of weakness, in a position that they can't do much with their lives at that point and they do one little act of kindness, it makes them feel better. That's what I see anyhow. I mean, I do it at McDonald's. I'll go to McDonald's. And somebody and be kind to me and let me go in that horrible line in the morning. And I'll pay for their breakfast. I don't know how much it is. And I don't have a lot of money. But it does matter.

And I just drive away. I don't even look back on purpose. Because I just drive away. But it's fun to do something nice and just surprise somebody. You should all start doing that. I mean, I'll be in a restaurant and I'll pay for somebody's dinner. I don't know what the check is and I don't know who they are. And I just get up and leave and tell the waiter to go pay for their dinner.

How do you pick them out?

Well, like, I see a loving couple sitting there talking and having a nice time. And I think, oh, what a nice family.

So does that make you happy that you feel that-- I mean, when you do that?

I love to do nice things for people.

Helping people.

Yeah, love to. It's the right thing to do.

You may have had some trepidation when you were first asked to come and speak to us and thinking, oh, I'm going to be in a roomful of people that are in advanced business classes and what's this going to feel like. Have we not asked or have we left something unasked that you would like to talk about with us today?

Probably. I believe that there is no coincidence. And I believe stuff just happens. And I was telling a story when we were out having coffee, and I had forgotten all about it. And I think this is what this has done for me. It reminded me of really good stuff that has happened to me.

I wrote a letter one time to Doris Buffett. Now who writes a letter to Doris Buffett? I read an article in the paper, and I said, I'm starting this family program called Program W help me. I'm having to do the case management myself. And I'm the chief operating officer because I want to help families. So I'm just going to write her a letter. So I wrote her a letter. Didn't hear anything for a long time until I hit Pinellas Hope.

All of a sudden, I get this phone call on my cell phone. Hi, this is Doris Buffett. Who? Doris Buffett. Who? Dear, do you want me to call you back or would you like me to call you back? I said, I think so. So I called her back, and she said, I have $50,000 for match. If you come up with $50,000 by Christmas, I will match it with $50,000 for your program. That's a God thing.

And I'd love to start a website. Anybody does websites? I'd love to start a website of coincidences because I think people would go up there and put all kinds of wonderful stories up there of things that just kind of happened that you didn't plan and you didn't look at, you didn't strive for it. It just happened. And I think it happens because people who want to do the right thing and want to respect and believe in God. And it just happens.

There's no coincidence I met that young man. And he's a solid part of my life. And you just meet people. And you have to take advantage of it. And that's one thing I would ask God. Let me go back. Let me take all the lessons I've learned and do some things better, which you can always do better. And let me make friends with some of the people I really wanted to make friends with but didn't have time.

You just mentioned a do over. You would have gotten in nonprofits earlier.

Absolutely.

You want more time to do good.

Yup.

And you want to use all of your experience and all of the lessons learned and maybe some things to do better. If you could have something, some time back for anything specific that you can think of that you would have done differently or would like to see do done better--

One of the things-- and Brad brought it up and I forgot completely about it-- was the stop tent city. And it was really bad. I think I would've handled that a lot differently.

How did you handle it?

I think I handled it OK. But I didn't do anything to combat the negativity. I just talked about that it was a positive experience and stuff. But I probably should have gone into that neighborhood, talked to those people, and tried to really turn them around. I just did it in the chamber with the commissioners. And that's really not the place to do it. You have to do it at the grassroots and start and change people. And that was bad because Tampa could really use some temporary housing, and they don't have it.

And you've mentioned a couple times along the lines in one dramatic way of having the community sentiment toward your presence changed dramatically from being of opposition to being supportive. In 2017, one research study published that there were 553,000 plus homeless people. And actually, that has been in recent years a declining number due to various factors. And I know homelessness is classified different ways. What do you believe is the answer to homelessness in America?

Wow, if somebody knew that, we wouldn't have it. But I think you have to tackle it. I think it is just rapid rehousing. We want to make homeless rare, brief, and non reoccurring. And I think you don't put them somewhere temporarily. You put them in what could be their home permanently. And you try to teach them how to stay in there. And you wrap your arms around them and say, OK, guys, come, we're going to do is this and this and this.

So while I love my Pinellas Hope, I think one of the answers is really putting them in permanent housing right away, moving them. But you do need a temporary place to put them because there's not enough housing. There's a housing shortage. Of affordable housing, there is a housing shortage. And what's affordable, affordable to you may not be affordable to one of my clients. I mean, if they get $770 a month, they can't afford very much. And it's very difficult. So I think putting them in permanent housing is really the answer to ending homelessness.

Is your model that you're describing, is that similar to other models or other organizations that are attempting to address similar challenges in other places?

It's becoming the model that people use-- out housing first and rapid housing is becoming the model that people are making now, yes.

And so coming back to a question I asked before-- and I don't know if it's going to be the same answer or not-- but I'm thinking there might be something more there. How do you see-- to a room full of business brains who are not necessarily oriented toward nonprofit but are focused on, for example, you have a mission, you have a vision, you have resources, you have a plan, you have a five year strategic plan, you have goals, you have objectives, and you've identified volunteers as the core asset to keep everything operating-- so what pieces do you feel you need to have in place to make this organization viable and sustainable for the long term?

You've got to have good employees that are trained and have the heart. You've got to have a good board that really is dedicated to the mission. It's all about mission. And then you've got to have the volunteer base to make it go. And then it's all work because, if everybody is striving for the same place-- and that's how I knew my friend as I was driving here because I was a little nervous.

And I said, how did we do Pinellas Hope. How did I run Catholic Charities? And how did I do Pinellas Hope at the same time? I remember I was 62, 63 at that time. I mean, I wasn't a young spring chicken. And I was there all the time. And she said, remember you had me stay up there for six months one time. And I said, I do. I said, that's what it was. I had a great team.

So I think what you have to do is get a sustainable team and build them to trust their leader and will kind of follow the leader and do it. I mean, it's not the money in the nonprofit. Trust me. It's not what you get paid. That's not why you do it. You do it for that hug five years later or that hug 10 years later because you don't get it right away because some of them are so shell shocked that you just don't get it.

You've done a great job. You have a very great impact in the community. Can we duplicate your model and implement it in different state or different country? I mean, what do you done, can we--

Absolutely. We've gone now in seven counties, and we are duplicating it everywhere. And I think you need a combination of the tent city or the temporary dwelling. And then you need the rapid rehousing. And I think you could do that anywhere. In fact, when we were talking about Haiti, I really wanted to go to Haiti and do that. But I wasn't at a place in my life with money that I could have just given it up and gone to Haiti.

I would have loved to have done that and gone down there and help them transition from the earthquake into permanency because so many people there were so damaged. And that country looks at people with disabilities in not a good way. And those people need help, a lot of help.

You said you wish to bring all the church together to work together. Can we bring the religion, different religions to work together?

Absolutely.

[INAUDIBLE]

Oh, no. Absolutely, absolutely, oh, absolutely. The synagogues would come at Christmas at Pinellas Hope and because they had the time at Christmas. And they would bring me sandwiches. And oh, absolutely, it's not just Catholic, no. I'm not best Catholic. I am a great Christian. I'm probably one of the better Christians. But I don't have time here go to church every Sunday, and I don't have time to do that stuff. I would rather live it and do it myself.

So you're suffering different--

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. I mean, if you believe in a higher power, which most people do-- not everybody does-- but most people. No, I think everybody has a kindness in their soul and will help others. I think you just have to dig a little deeper somewhere to bring it out. But I think it's there.

I think we-- we done?

Yeah.

Thank you so much, you being here.

Thank you for my prizes.