No such thing as an ordinary day: A closer look at Ken and Client Safety Services

On my first day as an intern, I was told that there is not such thing as an ordinary day at St. Anthony’s, and boy were they right! Whether I find myself in our Tech Lab, Medical Clinic, Clothing Program or Dining Room, the implications of this statement ring true throughout all of our facilities and programs. But no one at St. Anthony’s encounters a greater diversity of people and experiences than our Client Safety Services (CSS) Staff.

Last week I spent a day shadowing Ken, who is one of our CSS staffers who has worked at St. Anthony’s for about 3 years. From an outsider’s perspective, his job may look as simple as overseeing the order of the dining room. But spending just one day behind the scenes provided me with a whole new insight into the world of CSS, one that only scratches the surface of what their job truly entails.

It is without a doubt that the best part of CSS is not the cool walkie-talkies that they get to use, or the navy blue t-shirts that (only) they get to wear: instead it is the people who make it what it is. Ken is just one of the 16 incredible people who work as CSS, and like each of them, he has his own story of how he got to work there.

Leading up to the day when Ken came to the Father Alfred Center (our Drug & Alcohol rehabilitation center), he faced a lifetime of hardships, and there was little hope for his future. He battled almost 30 years of addiction, during which he experienced much of the pain and hardships that many of our guests face on a daily basis. After graduating from FAC (with which he worked in the Dining Room), Ken joined CSS to be part of this great foundation that gave him a second shot at life. Although Ken’s past is painful, it is part of what makes him the excellent CSS staffer he is. It gives him an understanding of how valuable it is to our guests to be treated with dignity and respect as they enter an environment in which they can feel safe and secure. Moreover, his story gives hope that through hard work and great facilities like those at St. Anthony’s, people can have a second shot at life. “I have only made 3 good decisions in my life”, says Ken “and coming to St. Anthony’s was one of them”.

Ask any guest, volunteer, or staff member who has come through the doors of St. Anthony’s, and they can tell you about the importance of CSS. It is, without a doubt, the fundamental service that keeps this foundation grounded and able to function. In fact, the hospitality, order, and safety provided by the men and women of CSS are essential to the vitality of each of our services and programs. Some of the countless characteristics of our highly skilled staff include hospitality, patience, understanding, generosity, courage, good judgment, and the ability to prevent trouble before it starts. Each of our CSS staff has a different personality, a different background, and with that, a different way of doing things. But the variety of people provides for a balanced crew, which has everything it takes to face whatever the day may bring their way. Their goal, above all else, is to create a safe and pleasant environment for everyone who enters the doors of St. Anthony’s.

So the next time you come to St. Anthony’s, whether to volunteer, enjoy a meal, or to attend your job, remember to take the time to thank CSS for the warm and safe environment that they create.