New director of Crisis Office is eager to reach out to others

As the new director of the Crisis Office, Stephanie Davis, right, leads a team of staff members and volunteers who work to bring hope and help to people in need. Here, she talks to volunteer Jerry Thomas in the food pantry of the Crisis Office, an emergency assistance program of Catholic Charities Indianapolis. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)

By John Shaughnessy

The file folders stacked at the edge of Stephanie Davis’ desk usually tell a story of heartbreak searching for hope, but this particular folder holds a story that also makes Davis smile and laugh.

It’s the story of a man who had just been released from prison, a man who sought help from Davis, the new director of the Crisis Office, an emergency assistance program of Catholic Charities Indianapolis.

Hoping to start his life anew, the man told Davis and volunteers at the Crisis Office that he was a cosmetologist and he had a job interview scheduled soon at a beauty salon. He also told them he needed nice clothes to make a good impression during the interview.

“Some of the volunteers got excited and they put him in an outfit [from the Crisis Office shelves]—a shirt and tie and shoes and socks,” Davis recalls. “He was pretty hard looking when he first came here, but he looked like a million bucks by the time they were finished with him. One of the volunteers was even complaining about how she couldn’t find someone who could cut her hair right, and asked if he would do it. They went outside, he cut her hair and she was really impressed. She paid him.

“Everyone became invested in the guy. And he got the job. The last time he came in here, he had just signed a lease on a new apartment.”

It’s one of the success stories that Davis has enjoyed since officially starting her new position on June 26—right in the midst of a period when the demand for help from the Crisis Office has increased dramatically because of the dire economic situations that many families and individuals now face.

“The number of requests for help is overwhelming,” Davis says at the end of another day at the Crisis Office, where people come for food, clothing, and limited financial assistance for rent and utility bills. “We’re seeing an additional 50 families a week. We’re seeing 40 to 60 families a day, and we’re only open four days a week and four hours a day. That’s a lot of people.”

Not only do Davis and assistant director Sandra Hamilton lead the Crisis Office in tough economic times, they also have the challenge of replacing two women who were considered legends for their help with the poor and the underemployed. After nearly 15 years of service to the Crisis Office, Marge Hittle and Patty Colbert retired as co-directors in June.

“A lot of clients come in and ask for Marge and Patty,” Davis says. “They really had an impact on people. We’ve tried to follow their tradition, but we’re also searching for different funding and we’ve reached out to different social agencies for help.”

Reaching out to others is the quality that defines Davis, say people who know her.

“One of her greatest gifts is that she really listens to the people, whether they are

co-workers, volunteers or individuals who come into the Crisis Office for help,” says David Bethuram, the director of Catholic Charities Indianapolis. “People that come into the Crisis Office often feel down, and she has the ability to encourage them and provide them [with] the opportunity for them to share their story. She wants them to know we’re concerned about them and their families.”

Another file folder at the edge of Davis’ desk tells the story of a mother and her two children—a story that reflects concerns about the economy and health care considerations.

“Her husband was laid off and decided to leave the family,” Davis says. “She ran into financial difficulties because she had a reduction in her hours at work, and because of health problems and car problems. She came in today to get food, and she got help in paying her utility bills. She says she’s trying to adjust to her reduced hours.

“People we used to see as middle class people are now struggling because of job layoffs. We’re seeing a greater need for people who need health care or health care options. They’re laid off and they’ve lost their [health] insurance.”

Her sense of compassion can be heard in her voice, a compassion she displayed often while working with homeless families for five years at the Holy Family Shelter in Indianapolis.

“Stephanie has tremendous experience in working with low-income families and individuals,” says Bill Bickel, service line director for crisis relief and shelter for Catholic Charities Indianapolis. “She has a strong maternal style in dealing with these families, which is important to dealing with single mothers and children. She has a gentle and accountable way of dealing with them.”

Bickel says that Davis makes a great team with Hamilton, the assistant director.

“Sandy has a very approachable style, too,” Bickel says. “She’s also very practical in the way [that] she deals with people.”

For Davis, that team approach wouldn’t be possible without the 25 people who volunteer at the Crisis Office.

“They’re excited to be here, and they get things done.” Davis says. “They take the time to listen and try to find a solution for the problems people have. They have an amazing gift to share.”

So does Davis. She knows the challenges that many people face in this economy. She also knows the hope that the Crisis Office often provides for people in need.

“It’s frustrating sometimes not being able to solve all the problems people have, or being able to help with all their needs,” she says. “You know that there are more people to help. You know you may be their last stop for food and clothing. You just try to do what you can to help the situation.

“The satisfaction for me comes at the end of the day when I have a stack of files on my desk of all the people we’ve taken care of that day. It shows we make a difference. That’s a good feeling.” †