Why We Don't "Fix" People

When people sign up to volunteer with the homeless, they often come with a generous, "service" mindset. They ask: What can I give? What can I teach? How can I help fix this person's situation?

These are good questions. But at the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP), we ask our volunteers to leave their "fix-it" kits at the door.

The Problem with Traditional Charity
Traditional charity often creates an invisible, vertical wall. On one side is the "Giver" (housed, stable, successful). On the other is the "Receiver" (homeless, struggling, broken). Even with the best intentions, this dynamic reinforces a sense of separation. It whispers, I am up here, and you are down there.

But recovery doesn't happen across a wall. It happens in a circle.

The Power of Mutuality
On an ISP retreat, we don't have teachers and students. We have companions. We ask our facilitators to do something terrifying: to be vulnerable.

We ask them to share their own stories of grief, addiction, or spiritual hunger. Why? Because when a volunteer admits, "I don't have it all together either," the power dynamic shifts. The wall comes down.

The "Sacred Ground" Moment
There is a specific moment on almost every retreat that we call "Sacred Ground." It happens when a volunteer shares a personal struggle, and a homeless participant looks up and nods, saying, "Me too."

In that moment, the labels—"Homeless," "Volunteer," "Addict," "Donor"—evaporate. All that remains are two human beings, standing on the same level ground of God's love, trying to find their way home.

We don't need to be perfect to help others. We just need to be present. As the Jesuit value of Cura Personalis (care for the whole person) teaches us, healing is a two-way street. We are transformed by the people we think we are there to serve.