Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EXPL 390
3-18-20
ABCD Reflection
The team at Catholic Charities does a great job of finding a balance between what they have
and the resources they lack. Coming in, I remember feeling overwhelmed with amount of work
that needed to be done. Clients came all day and there were only 3 full time specialists in the
office. I remember wishing I could help more and asking why more people weren’t hired. It
seemed like this was a simple answer to the problems I observed. I was frustrated because I
thought we could serve more members of the community if more staff was hired. All my
observations were focused on what the department lacked. This only made my work harder
because I didn’t use the resources and tools available to me. Instead of looking at the good that
could be done with the information and connections that were already established, I wrote lists of
what I thought needed to change. As I became more comfortable with the specialists and Nancy,
I realized that their perspective was different. Yes, there are days were they also become
frustrated, but they also work with what they have to give clients the best experience.
Staffing is a constant problem in office. Funding cuts have made it harder to hire full time
staff and this puts more pressure on the those who work in the department. One thing I’ve seen in
the office is that everyone knows each other’s strengths. If a client comes in or calls a specialist
who cannot answer his question, they are immediately transferred to the staff member who can
give them the best guidance. No time is wasted; the specialists know who focuses on each aspect
of the law. This helps keep appointments on schedule and the office in order. The staff knows
when another member of the team is having a bad day and step up to help them in any way they
can. They make lack staff, but the small group is strong a united. After years of working with
one another, they know how to work well together. They get the work done with a small team
because they know how to maximize their time and energy. They’ve learned how to work with
Recently there has been some talk about the decrease in clients that are coming to the office.
I noticed it more during February as there weren’t many clients coming into the office for
consultation or pick-ups. This decrease can be attributed to the fear people have about seeking
legal assistance or because they think they cannot offered the services. Ever since the current
administration came into office, rumors spread constantly about what the government’s next
immigration move will be and the consequences it will have. Understandably, many members of
the community live in uncertainty and would rather remain in the shadows where they are not
bothered. This can be a problem and deficit for the organization since they are not meeting with
the usual number of clients. In the future, this can lead to more budget cuts and could harm the
services provided in the agency. Instead of focusing on the negative, staff are using the spare
time to attend conferences and community events. They listen to the concerns of the community
and try to strategize to find ways to reach a larger audience. They realize that people need legal
aid but there are many outside factors that prevent them from reaching out.
Seeing the way, the organization works and how they value their resources has helped me
better contribute to their work and the community they serve. I remember that in one of the
videos we watched on asset maps, the speaker said that you couldn’t help a community by
bringing in outsiders and this stuck with me. We must work with what is already available to us
and the gifts of everyone in the community to seek change. In this way, they help build a
community within the organization and with community members. Recently I attended an ICE
check in with Nancy. A member of the community had to present himself to ICE and have an
interview with them. At this interview, he would either be allowed to stay in the country or
would face immediate deportation. I did not know what to expect but I was welcomed by a big
crowed of people who all came together to support this man. It wasn’t just Catholic Charities,
there were people from all backgrounds and ethnicities who came together to pray for the
This was a great example of community building and way CC uses its resources to connect
with all different types of people. Even though this was a stressful time, the family felt some sort
of security knowing that there was a big group of people downstairs wishing them the best.
When Oscar came downstairs everyone cheered as he was given a one year extension to stay in
the United States. CC used their message of unity and rights for all to connect individuals who
might otherwise never cross paths. While facing this challenge, Oscar and his family also gained