News

By Heather Johnson Durocher
Newsletter Editor

 

We’re thrilled to welcome Rebecca Sisco, who has been helping at Safe Harbor since 2021, to her new position of staff supervisor. We recently caught up with Rebecca to learn more about her experiences at the shelter, her passion for helping her fellow community members, and what she likes to do in her free time.

 

What led you to want to be part of the Safe Harbor team?

My first day was in the fall of 2021, and I believe it was in November as the season had already started (we were at that time still seasonal, so we would have opened for the season on Oct 15). At the time I was looking for a winter position that would allow me to go back and work aboard Inland Seas in the spring/summer/early fall. A friend who used to work here had posted on Facebook about her job here and I messaged her to see if there were any openings — it turned out they needed help on the overnight shift. Working at Safe Harbor appealed to me because it would give me the opportunity to engage with this often marginalized community, those with addiction issues, and in general to be able to show up in support for those in crisis. I had a sense that many of the skills I already possessed, as well as my personality in general, would be very well suited to this work. I was right!!

 

What do you find most gratifying about your work at the shelter?

Whatever happens, good or bad, one interaction can dramatically affect a guest's outlook, experience, and attitude. A single conversation with a guest who is struggling can begin to turn things around. To feel, in real time, the gratitude and heart-connection one human to another, is the most rewarding part of my job. Being able to serve this population in a way we are helping them to meet their very most basic needs is a close second. Helping to lessen the burdens, one night at a time, feels very gratifying.

What do you wish people knew about Safe Harbor and maybe don't?

That we have recently started an empowerment program that over time all guests will participate in, as they are able. Taking classes in various topics—managing grief, building self-esteem, employment lab, possibly cooking as well as meeting with Jenny [Wallman], helps to move guests forward on their path out of shelter. There is a belief from some local residents that many of our guests wander around doing nothing and we enable that in some way—the empowerment program directly engages with this idea and starts holding each individual accountable. Also, that we have nearly 2,100 volunteers!!

What do you like to do in your free time?

Hike. Swim. Play clarinet in the Northwestern Michigan College Concert Band and the Benzie Band. Garden. Listen to vinyl. Also, going to see as much live music as possible!

What are you most looking forward to in your new position?

The opportunity to use my skills in a different way. Having more responsibility. Helping to improve team cohesiveness. Being stretched personally in solving staff challenges. Working a lot more daytime hours! I have been on overnights since I started, so it's nice to shift my schedule around a bit. I'm also getting to see other aspects of our operation—what the flow of daytime after guests leave looks like, attending operations and steering committee meetings, some RESILIENCE meetings. I am working both evening lead shifts as well as the occasional overnight shift—getting to work with a lot more of the staff is really nice, too.