Homeward Bound #212

Thomas Ptacek:

It'll be better when I get out. It'll be better when I get out. And you can kind of fantasize about, you know, or believe how much better, you know, like you're just going to jump from that right back into a regular routine.

Greg Dufour:

Those are the things that I think people can say, okay, well we have to help those folks and we definitely do.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

This is Dr. Lisa Belisle and you are listening to Love Maine radio show number 212, Homeward Bound. Airing for the first time on Sunday, October 11, 2015. Our homes provide us with much more than safety and warmth. They offer a place to retreat from a sometimes chaotic world and nourish our souls. Unfortunately, homelessness is an ongoing and ever present issue in Maine. Today we speak with Navy veteran and Prebles street advocate Thomas Patacek, who experienced a year of homelessness, and with Camden National Bank President Greg Dufour about an innovative program called Hope at Home. Thank you for joining us.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

many important things in our community that we have difficulty grappling with and one of these is homelessness. It's something that I think all of us in Maine and probably all over the world are aware exists, and yet we don't really know how to work with it. It's something that we. Well, it's been a struggle. This next guest that I'm speaking with today, he knows the struggle, and he knows it in a way that most of us could barely even fathom. This is Tom Petosik, who is Preble

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Street's Veterans Healthcare Outreach community organizer. Tom, a veteran of the US Navy,

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

has experienced homelessness and was an advocate for Homeless Voices for Justice.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Tom is also on the boards for

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Community Housing of Maine and the Milestone Foundation. Tom, we're really privileged to have you here today.

Thomas Ptacek:

Thank you for inviting me.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So you've been dealing with some. You've had a lot of stuff go on in your life. Back me up to where you from.

Thomas Ptacek:

Well, I guess I would say that I am from Kansas. That's where I've spent most of my life, but moved around a lot as a kid and moved around a lot as an adult. And actually here next year, Maine will be the place that I've lived the longest, continuously. It'll be 10 years, still another year to beat the total time in Kansas, but it'll be the place that I've been the longest, continuously. So, yeah, I say I'm from Kansas, but kind of all over.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And how did you make your way into the US Navy?

Thomas Ptacek:

I was 20, had gone to college and then not really my thing left, was figuring on going back, but not right away and was working and just in. When you're, when you're from Kansas, I guess the Navy can seem kind of exciting since you're nowhere near an ocean. And so I just kind of on a whim was like, I'm gonna join the Navy, I guess. And, you know, I'm. I'm glad I did. It certainly got me through my early 20s. You know, with structure and discipline, I wasn't really able to do anything too stupid because the price is really high. If you're in the military, you know, and grew up a little, I'd say I probably got what I needed out of it after a couple years, you know, so then I still had a couple more years to serve. But, you know, and then it was a long time before I ever availed myself of any veteran services. You find a lot in the veteran community that, you know, we have this really high bar we set as for, you know, being a veteran. And so for someone like me, you know, I. While I did serve during the Desert Storm period, I didn't, I didn't go over there. I was a psychiatric technician. I worked in a hospital. So, you know, I look at people that, you know, served in combat, you know, a Vietnam combat veteran, that's a veteran. I'm not that. And there's a lot of that in the veteran community where we just, well, you know, I didn't do all these things that other people did, so they're the real veterans. And so a lot of times, you know, there are services available to veterans out there, but they don't access them. And I never did, including the GI Bill, which I paid into when I got out of the Navy. I went back to college and, you know, still didn't, didn't access that. And it wasn't until I was, you know, stuck in Oxford street shelter for a year and there was an influx of money into the VASH program. And a VASH voucher is essentially Section 8, but specifically for veterans, Veterans Assisted Subsidized Housing. And you know, so when the program got this influx of money, they were literally scouring the shelters across the country looking for veterans who were stuck in homeless, in homeless shelters. And you know, at that point I was like, you know, you're right, I'm a veteran. You know, if it's going to get me out of the shelter, then absolutely I'm a veteran. And you know, and since then I have, you know, access some services. I go to the community based outpatient clinic, what's called cboc, which is the, the veterans clinic that opened up here a handful of years ago, where I go for, you know, mental health stuff. I don't, I often, I often say that. I'm not sure if my year of homelessness broke something in me or if it simply brought to bear things that were always there but in good times, just never noticed. Obviously, wherever I was at emotionally at the beginning of that year, vastly different from where I was at emotionally at the end of that year. And so there was a lot of, you know, depression and self esteem stuff. And I finally decided to look into that and see someone about that, which is obviously a tough step for people. And if you're struggling, whether it's in poverty or with homelessness or mental health issues or addiction, whatever you're struggling with, it can be. And whether you're a veteran or not, it can be difficult to seek those services. You often don't necessarily know what's available. Oftentimes when you do go to seek some services, there are long waiting lists and so you get discouraged. That's.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, I'm wondering how Old. You are.

Thomas Ptacek:

I am.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

If you mind telling us.

Thomas Ptacek:

Yeah, no, I don't mind. Here. In a couple months, I'll be 49.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Okay. And it's interesting to me that the Navy recognized pretty early on that you somehow had skills that would put you. That would make a good psychiatric technician.

Thomas Ptacek:

Yeah, that was something. I mean, that was something I chose to do. I actually, when I joined, I wanted to be a photographer's mate. I had a really big interest in photography at the time, and I knew that, you know, school wasn't. I mean, if a class really, you know, really gains my interest, I do really well, but if it doesn't, I just, you know, like, I don't even go to the class, and I don't officially drop it, and it's just a mess. But. So I knew that school maybe wasn't the right path for that. So I thought, you know what? I'll go in the Navy. I'll be a photographer's mate. I'll learn everything I need to know and be able to come out and, you know, jump right into. Into work. And apparently, I had no idea at the time, but apparently I'm colorblind, and so they wouldn't let me be a photographer's mate because, you know, you're working in a dark room and things are coated or whatever, so. So. And by that time, I was far enough in the process that I was starting to get a little psyched about this adventure I was about to go on. So I just looked down at what else is there that I could do? And my father's degrees are in research psychology. So I kind of grew up with an understanding of human behavior. And so I thought, well, that sounds good. I did not know at the time that while I chose that that was not guaranteed. You know, I had to go to basic core school, you know, where you learn to draw blood and start IVs and pass meds and all that stuff, and then applied for psych school. And it essentially comes down to, do they need psych techs? If they need psych techs, you'll get in. If they don't, you won't. Some people will choose four or five different things so that they get something rather than being a regular corpsman. But I just chose that. Luckily, they. They needed them.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So did. Was it interesting to you as you went down your own personal path? Was it interesting to you that you had at one point been a psych tech and that eventually you decided to access services for yourself?

Thomas Ptacek:

Yeah, you know, I didn't. I Kind of was a bit of a sponge when I was there. I worked a majority of my time on the overnight shift, and when the. The duty doctor would come up to. To work on the charts for that day or whatever, I would just sit in the office with them and ask, you know, question after question, you know, with concern with patients and treatment. And it was something that I had a natural ability for. The one thing that I did not truly understand when I left is in regards to depression, and especially clinical depression. You would hear the words helplessness and hopelessness a lot, and part of it was probably my age. But, you know, I just. I didn't understand how you could be completely without hope. I mean, I understood sadness slash depression. I understood bad things happening and, you know, it affected you that I got. But how you could be completely without something didn't. Didn't make sense to me. And it wasn't really until, you know, halfway through my time at the Oxford street shelter that I got it. You know, it is completely possible to be completely without hope and to completely feel like you can't be helped. And that's, you know, that's why there's no easy fix. You know, I often tell people that, you know, when I got out of the shelter, when I got my place, it actually was a. Emotionally speaking, a bit of a step backwards, because while you're in the shelter, in order to survive, you kind of gotta get on autopilot and, you know, you find ways to exist, you know, make it from day to day to day. And so you're not. You're not thinking about certain things. I wasn't thinking about the fact that I no longer owned furniture, that I no longer owned, you know, a TV or a stereo. I no longer own, you know, a closet full of clothes. None of that entered into my mind because I had nowhere to put that stuff. And then when I got my place and I'm, you know, coming home every night and I'm, you know, sleeping on the floor and there's no furniture in there, and. And, you know, that's when it all kind of hit me. That's like, okay, this is how far you have fallen. Because there's always. When you're in the shelter, it'll be better when I get out. It'll be better when I get out. And you can kind of fantasize about, you know, or believe how much better, you know, you're like, you're just gonna jump from that, right? Back into a regular routine. And so you kind of hold on to that hope. And then you get out, and that's not how it is, you know, and so now it's like the reality of just how much farther I have to crawl back. And, you know, it seems like that process, there's 30 first steps, and you can't take 30 first steps, you know, so it's really overwhelming.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You know, that's a really interesting point. I think about people who come to see me for whatever behavior they're trying to change, and they think, okay, once I reach my goal, once I've lost my 20 pounds, once I've gotten out of my bad marriage, once I've gotten to that place, then everything is going to open up and it's all going to be great. And you're talking about a pretty, I guess, more extreme form of that. Like, once I get my home, then it's all going to become clear. But you're right, there's. It just. Is another. It just opens up the door, and then there's another door. And then there's another door.

Thomas Ptacek:

Yep.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So I kind of love hearing that, actually. It's just. It just. Just reminds us that we're all basically in the same place. If we're trying to change a circumstance, this. It's just a process.

Thomas Ptacek:

And that's why here, recently, over the last year or so, there's been a real concerted effort in ensuring that there are services that go along with and follow people as they, you know, get housing and come out of the shelter, where everyone's starting to realize that as difficult as it can be, sometimes to house someone, especially here in Portland, there's not a lot of vacancies. Oftentimes the really hard work can be helping that person to maintain that housing and stay there. And that's part of it, is you have a bunch of new things to deal with and some realizations when you get there. And it's. I like to talk about. I mean, obviously, as human beings, you know, we strive to be comfortable with who we are and where we are, and we will find ways to justify the decisions we make. And so, you know, I know, and I can't speak for anyone else, but I know for me, you know, when you're here and there's nothing to lose and maybe your investment isn't huge, the math makes sense, but as you. As you start to invest in yourself and make small steps up, it seems like what you stand to lose is so much greater. And so it can be really difficult. You know, it's like, you know, when I was in the shelter, I mean, and there were a variety of issues that were kind of combining to keep me there. But I also knew, because I knew how I got there with low paying jobs and just living right on the edge. And the only way I really even survived is because I had an employer that didn't really care. So they work me 70, 80 hours a week, but obviously that can only last so long. But you know, my thought was, wow, you know, I mean, if I go, if I go get this job for seven, 7:50 an hour, you know, how long is that going to last? And you know, if that falls through, I'm going to be back in the shelter, you know, because I haven't been able to save anything. I'm not going to be able to survive. And, and when I do, you know, I mean, I'm just barely going to be making it. I'm probably going to have to decide where. Oh well, you know, maybe, maybe the landlord will let me slide on 20 bucks for a little while or you know, not pay the, not pay the full electric bill and it starts piling up. And you know, that's just so overwhelming and that's not where you want to scratch and claw to get to, you know, so just having, having those services that follow you and that allow you to do things in a time frame, that's good for you. I know I benefited greatly because when I joined Homeless Voices for Justice and there's a small stipend that goes along with that, but it's not, you're not making a ton of money. But you know, I did that for a few years and you know, I was able to connect with people in the service provider industry and kind of show my skill level and the things I can do and felt respected and needed and that allowed me to get to a place that when I went back into full time employment, it was a good move. It was a move that I felt good about. It was a move that I knew I was supported in. And you never really leave that time homeless behind. I mean, I'm about six years removed from being homeless and I, you know, I still think about it. I look at my, I look at my, you know, bank account and I think, man, if things fall through, if I, you know, lose my job, you know, I got maybe a month that I can make it before I start, you know, not being able to pay my rent. And then my thought, I can't go back to the shelter, I can't go back to the shelter. You know, so you never quite put that behind. But, you know, I I feel 99.9% confident that had I had tried something earlier, had I have, you know, taken, you know, some low paying job in an effort to get out, I would have wound up back there. There's, there's no doubt in my mind. I just wasn't in, I wasn't in a place where I could just really kind of take it all in and make sense of it and you know, work basically.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So it sounds like you're saying that it's not just the job itself, it's the mindset. It's sort of the psychological approach and the emotional wherewithal to stay with something.

Thomas Ptacek:

Yeah, if you're, you know, if you're depressed and your self esteem has taken this huge hit, you know, it's hard to go out there and take what the day brings on and not have it affect you adversely. I mean, it's always, obviously it's something you have to deal and it's something, you know, that I have to deal with every day now. But I'm in a place now and I've sought the services that I need now to make, to make a good go of that. You know, it obviously, as I was, you know, talking about before, you know, that where, you know, people try and get comfortable with, you know, where they're at and what their life is like. And that's one of the things that I want people to understand because, you know, every now and then I hear people that, you know, they'll, they'll see someone using, you know, their EBT card at the store or they'll hear, hear someone talking on the street and, and you know, they, they come away with the impression that people are happy with, with what? With, with where they're at. And, and they're. Oh yeah, I don't care, you know, I'm just kicking it, I'm having a good time. I get this. I get this. And that's just someone trying to be comfortable with where they're at. I mean, is someone going to say, oh wow, man, I suck, my life sucks, I hate this, I'm nothing, I'm worthless. I mean, that happens inside, believe me. But that's not how people are going to present it. You know, so someone, I hate to think that someone just trying to make it and be okay with where they're at is giving someone the ability to think that that's what that person wants.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

That's a, you know, that's a really good point. This is something that I'm, as you're talking because this often Happens when the guests come in, I'll think, is this something that I do? Is this a judgment I make? Have I had these thoughts before? And I do think that, you know, when we see that someone is pretty down on their luck, that we almost expect, well, you know, they should be grateful for whatever they have or, you know, whatever we. Whatever. Whatever we're so benevolently caring to give them, they should be grateful for. And they're probably feeling really crummy right now. And, you know, we're really just. There's a lot of superimpositions and projections that we are putting on other people, not just assuming, you know, they're probably just like us. They're probably just trying to make their way in the day. I don't know. I guess that was a lot of kind of disparate thoughts, but I really. This is really hitting home for me.

Thomas Ptacek:

Yeah. And that's, you know, something that I want people to understand, too, is because you'll hear people talk about choices that people are making, you know, and when, you know, if you have someone who, you know, flies a sign on the meeting or whatever and gets, you know, some money and then goes and buys some alcohol, and they go, well, that's the choice. He's making that choice. This is happening because these are the choices he's making. But what I really, really want people to understand is that in order to make choices, you have to see options. And if you don't see options, then you're not making a choice. And so someone who's just existing, you know, getting through the day the way that they best know how, that's not. That's not something that they're choosing to do. Obviously, you know, we're all human beings, and as human beings, dreams and desires occur within us naturally. And so you have to think what had to happen to someone. Where does someone have to be emotionally for those naturally occurring dreams and desires to have died? And that's why it's such tough work, and why just being there and keeping the door always open for them and having patience and letting them work through that is the best way to do it. Because it's not just as simple as. As, oh, hey, you know, get off the street and take this house and everything will be fine.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Now, tell me about the Milestone Foundation. I know that you just recently joined the board there, and this is important to you why?

Thomas Ptacek:

You know, they. The Milestone Shelter really works with some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Community. Milestone is essentially. Milestone is the shelter that you can be presently Intoxicated, heavily intoxicated, and go to. So they really are working with a really vulnerable portion of the community and it's so necessary and so needed. And, you know, I've been fortunate enough, you know, through, through the times that I was staying at Oxford street and you know, utilizing Preble street during the day and then being around Preble street all the time, you know, when I was with HVJ and then now in my, in my current position and you know, I've been able to see, you know, people that are struggling with addiction when they've got a grasp on that. And you know, it's just, it's this reminder that there's this really great person there and it's well worth our efforts to try and create a system where they can get there. You know, we can't make that happen. We can't bring it about. But the system has to be pliable enough and understanding enough and compassionate enough to allow them access to it and the process in which to do it. And it's the same even if there aren't addiction issues there. You know, I mean, I, I didn't have addiction issues. I didn't have severe mental health issues yet. I still was at the shelter for a year. You know, I still had nine months or whatever after I got out of the shelter, before I got connected with Homeless Voices for Justice. I was still with Homeless Voices for Justice for a couple years before I, you know, got back into full time employment. And you know, all along the way, whether it's, whether it's someone like Preble street or whether it's a federal or state program, all along the way investments were made in me and you know, those investments are really, really paying off.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Now after listening to our conversation, I'm sure people are going to want to do something. I'm hoping people are going to want to do something. How do people learn more about the work that you do at Preble street or the work that Preble street does in general?

Thomas Ptacek:

Well, Preble street has a lot of volunteer programs, so you can always contact Preble street to see what you can do. Obviously, donations of any kind help socks. Socks are big. I know. Well, and I know I'll just throw this out there because when I was there it was funny, but the one thing that never seemed to get donated was deodorant. That was really hard to come by. You know, socks you could get there were, you know, shampoo, soap, you know, toothpaste, you could get those things. But man, deodorant was tough so let me throw that out. But the best thing that someone can do is to get involved politically and make your voice heard, because it all depends on the system that's in place. You know, Preble street or Opportunity alliance or Milestone or Community Housing of Maine, Vesta Housing. You know, all these people trying to do good things can only do so much dependent upon the system that's in place. So becoming active and making your voice heard and letting it be known that there is belief in and support for a good safety net and a safety net that provides people with those avenues to success.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, I've learned a lot from our conversation. I hope that other people who have listened to it will make their voices heard. Perhaps donate some deodorant or socks.

Thomas Ptacek:

There you go.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Or volunteer some time or even just think more about what all of this means and what it means to each of us as individuals. I really, you know, this has been just an amazing conversation. We've been speaking with Thomas Batassic, who is Preble Street's Veterans Healthcare Outreach community organizer. Tom, thanks so much for your time and for all the work you've done, and I'm really glad to have you in our community.

Thomas Ptacek:

Thank you again for having me.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

on Love Maine Radio. We've spent a considerable amount of time thinking about our communities and the types of things that our neighbors really need in order to live sustainably in Maine. One of these is food, and one of these is shelter. Greg Dufour has similarly been thinking about shelter. He is the president of K Camden National Bank. Craig believes that the strength of the bank is only as strong as the communities they serve. Recently, he saw a growing need for assistance and conceived of the innovative Hope

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

at Home program for every Home it finances.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Camden National bank donates $100 to a homeless shelter in the community of the new homeowner, providing support and hope to neighbors living without a home. Thanks for coming in today, Greg.

Greg Dufour:

It's my pleasure.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So, as I said, we think about kind of basic human needs, food, shelter, I would add in there, companionship. Obviously, banks don't do a lot about companionships, necessarily, but you're working on homelessness.

Greg Dufour:

Yes.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How did these two things get connected?

Greg Dufour:

Well, it was actually a personal experience, and it started with last year in February. I was driving to work every day and. And noticed this one little motel that seemed to have its parking lot full, which in Rockport, Maine, is a little bit unique in February. And I just kind of kept on driving by. And then one day on my way to work at Camden National, I was running a little late and I was behind the school bus, and the school bus stopped in front of this motel, and it was a cold February morning, and I saw about a half a dozen kids get on the school bus. And I couldn't figure out why. And so I started asking around the community. I got to know Stephanie Prim with the Knox County Homeless association, and she said that's where they put some families who are homeless in this little motel. And it struck me that here I am fortunate to have a job that I love going to work to in a community that is great, but is also known for being picturesque and, and in Maine terms, affluent. Yet here are these homeless people literally right under my nose. And I said something needed to be done. It was such a different thing going on around me. And so I went to the bank. And fortunately, Camden national, being a community bank, we do a lot donating to various organizations. And we were looking for something to get behind in the organization that would be. We could focus on, but something that maybe other organizations haven't been focusing on as well. You know, a lot of great, worthy causes throughout the state, they get a lot of support. Camden supports a lot of those efforts as well. But we really didn't see one organization stepping forward to devote some time and energy behind homelessness. And so that's how it all started. And then kind of brainstorming happened. And we created this program where when somebody purchases a home, finances it through us, we donate a hundred dollars in the customer's name, if they choose to, to the nearest homeless shelter. And we did that so we can make a connection between somebody going through the joy of homeownership and helping somebody at the same time in their community. And it was really part of that advocacy part that I think is truly unique about this program.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It sounds like in my conversation with you, you were surprised by the number of homeless shelters around the area that your bank serves.

Greg Dufour:

It really is. And when you're in Portland, there's a lot of. There's Preble street that is very visible and does a lot of great work in Bangor. They have two or three large shelters. And as we've been going out and actually giving checks to the local homeless shelters, I get amazed by going into some of the communities, especially in rural Maine, where there is a homeless shelter there or a group of people trying to address homelessness. And it's shocking. It's really still kind of under our nose. You may say, well, what do they do in that business? Why are there cars there? And some of them could be homeless shelters and not only the physical buildings, but the people that are dedicating their lives to helping the homeless. It's truly amazing. It's truly something that is eye opening to me.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It is striking the contrast between the school bus and the hotel where people are living. You're right about especially Portland. It's more, it seems more evident that people don't necessarily have a place to live. And perhaps even I have had some preconceived notions about people who are homeless, people who might choose to live on the street or be forced to live on the street. But what you're talking about are families. You're not talking about perhaps people with mental illness or people with addiction issues or people who have just gotten out of being incarcerated. You're talking about families who need a place to live, who need a place that they can put their kid on the school bus.

Greg Dufour:

Well, we're actually talking about now, everyone. I'll admit that as I personally started this effort of my own personal effort of learning about homelessness, it was about the families and it was about the children that are homeless. Maybe it's a good thing they're in a motel versus better than being in a car living. But as I should phrase it, got to learn more about homelessness. You have to put aside some of the ways people become homeless, whether it's a job loss or domestic abuse or something like that. Those are the things that I think people can say, okay, well, we have to help those folks, and we definitely do.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

But.

Greg Dufour:

But then when you talk about addiction and your first reaction is, well, do they deserve help? And how I personally, and how our organization has addressed it is we really don't care how somebody gets homeless. They're homeless. And if there's something that we can do with our efforts and supporting the people that are helping and working in the homeless shelters, it may solve some of those other issues. I was talking with a group of folks, I believe it's the Hope House up in Bangor, and they address homelessness for addicts. And I was chatting with them, and they mentioned the number of addicts that they have homeless and that they help and give shelter to every evening. And it was a large number, let's say like 70 or 80. And I said, oh, so these are recovering addicts? And they said, no, these are active addicts. And that's when I realized that these people are trying to get the addicts on a path of recovery. And so it's not just solving homelessness. It may be solving or helping somebody save a life. And that's the real power. And I think the real story that's not out there.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You know, it's an interesting point because addiction is such a sticky issue. Addiction and mental illness and some of these other things that might lead to homelessness. So sometimes it's important to just put those things aside and say, you know, the bottom line is we live in a state that gets very cold, gets very cold at night. And even if we lived in a warm state, people need to have a roof over their heads. They need to have a place that they can go to at the end of the day and get a warm meal. So it's talking about sort of dropping our value judgments. In some ways it is.

Greg Dufour:

And it's setting aside some of those judgments to say, really, here's the issue. People are homeless. And however you get into the homeless situation, you're in a cycle. It could be job loss or it could be something that, like, we're talking about addiction or domestic abuse. And as I see, the work of the homeless shelters is trying to break that cycle, trying to help somebody get job training, to get that job so they're no longer homeless. Somebody trying to get in a better domestic situation, a safer situation, so they're no longer homeless. Maybe getting somebody into a recovery program, so they're no longer homeless because now they can function better in society. As we were looking at putting the Camden national name behind the homeless efforts, we had to just kind of cast that aside and say, we're going to focus on homelessness. And there's a lot of great that can happen from that if we don't put our own judgments against it. And I've been pleased to say that that's been just a great reaction that we've seen.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

In my own medical practice, I've actually cared for young women with children who have been homeless themselves. They've described living at a campground for a summer or living in a motel space for a summer. And these aren't women, and these happen to be the women that I've dealt with. It doesn't mean that men are not similar. These aren't women that have done anything wrong per se. They're just women who have been perhaps working a minimum wage job, don't have enough money for a security deposit, trying to deal with daycare. They're just trying to live a life. And yet one of the things that I've seen is that sometimes it's incredibly difficult to ask for help before you go kind of too far down a road that leads you to not having a place to live. And that's a tough situation, right?

Greg Dufour:

Absolutely. And I just sit back and think of being that parent and you're trying to push and, and trying to do it on your own. And as you said, then it may go a step too far and all of a sudden that you can't even afford that campsite, or the campsite closes for the season and then you're truly homeless and then they have to seek help out of necessity. So there's a lot of different things that we can address, just starting with that focal point from homelessness.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So you are interesting to me because you're a bank president, you're a dollars and cents kind of guy. And I know that Camden national has a community focus. So community has always been important to your organization, but you could very easily have driven by that hotel and not really even noticed the school bus and not really kind of put these things all together. What in your background caused you to be sensitive enough to kind of be picking up on these needs?

Greg Dufour:

I guess I never really thought. Thought about it, maybe. It's always been that. I know my parents are always very giving and active in their community, and they set a great example for me that way. Just my family, I think we're focused at that. And I think it's a little bit of growing up in Maine. Yes, you can be a bank president, but there's always something or there's a good grounding going on all the time. And I think a lot of business leaders in the state, that something's unique is that, you know, we live in our communities. We aren't living out in a big suburb and taking an hour ride into the city to do our jobs. When we go shopping, we're shopping amongst customers and in my case, shareholders. And so to me, that gives a personal accountability that I personally feel in the community. And maybe what that results in is a sensitivity to something like this.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Where did you grow up?

Greg Dufour:

I grew up in Old Town.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So that's very interesting that you ended up kind of right in the middle and right near Bangor, which is, as you said, one of these places that has very active homeless shelters. And now you've moved out to the coast where you might think perhaps with a little bit more wealth, with a little bit more wherewithal, that it wouldn't be as much of a problem. And yet it's everywhere.

Greg Dufour:

Right. And I think growing up in Old Town and actually now going back and seeing a community that was built around shoe shops and mills, and there was a vibrancy when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s there to now that all the shoe shops are gone, the mill is essentially down to a few hundred or maybe 100 or so people from at times it was probably closer to 1000 way back when. And you see a community change. And so when I then go home to the Camden Rockport area, I see that big difference that we have in the state of Maine and now that we even now have a branch in Old Town. And so I've kind of truly come home, both personally and business wise to it. And I think it does give that sense. How can I help? How can I make an impact? And fortunately, I work in an organization that supports.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It seems to me, knowing some of the financial leaders in the state, that there really is, you guys seem to have more heart than many. I'm thinking about Yellow Light Breen, who recently changed jobs. I think he now works for the Maine Community Foundation. But he was very well known. Maine Development foundation, very well known. I believe he was associated with Bangor Savings. Yes, of course, I'm a doctor, so I don't know all the financial ins and outs and all of this, but having paid attention to this, I'm impressed. You know, I'm impressed because it feels like it's an important thing that people understand that money isn't just. It's not hard, cold cash currency. It's a means of living a life.

Greg Dufour:

Absolutely. And that's one thing that I'm thinking. Proud of being in the community banking industry. And last year I was chairman of the Maine Bankers association for all the community banks. We have 9,000 Maine residents that are employed by community banks. They give tens of thousands of hours of volunteer time each year. And I think we do about a million dollars collectively each year donations. Talking with my colleagues and fellow community bankers, we take that term community banker very seriously. And whether it's no matter where you live, if you see a race or a walk for the homeless or breast cancer awareness or raising money, or looking at some of the boards of nonprofits and community organizations, typically you see a banker on that. I think the good thing is though, and I believe for most banks, we're not requiring our employees to go do this. We don't say go serve on this board or go hike on this Saturday we put the word out and say, here's an organization, they're having this cause going on. If you'd like to be involved, come. And it's just remarkable that you see these events going on and it's not just came the national bank, but several community banks show up all the time. And I think that dates back and especially when you look at smaller communities, the bank is an important part of each town that we serve. And it could be larger communities like Portland or Lewiston, Auburn area or Bangor, but even smaller ones like Machias or Calais or Jonesport, other areas like that. And to me, I think that's part of the what we do in our industry.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You raise a good point. We've been talking about how banks can help with various community based causes, but you also employ the people who live in your towns. Actually, I was just thinking of patients that I have who have worked for their local banks for a number of years and this has been a good, solid, steady source of employment. They've been happy, they are loyal employees. They have been able to raise their families on the salaries that they receive. And it's an interesting and important way that banking has really created sustainability.

Greg Dufour:

Oh absolutely. And challenge in all of the organizations or banking organizations in the state. Not only is that the face that most people see, the bank, the branch, we have major technology departments going on, offering challenging careers, financial departments, which was kind of my career track coming up through. And it's truly still, I believe, an industry where you can start off at the entry level being a teller. And if you're a hard worker and ambitious and have a lot of tenacity to keep learning, you can go all the way to be the CEO. And we do that by supporting, training people, having tuition reimbursement programs, and that's throughout the industry we do that. So a lot of times I feel the banking industry isn't known for the great, not only great jobs, but the great careers.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

We do Here, which is really important for a state like Maine, because if we're not not making the shoes that we once made or making the paper and the amount that we once made, we don't have the same types of employment opportunities. There have to be others that come in to fill that void. So in addition to helping with people who have no homes, you're helping people who actually have homes and want to be able to keep those homes and want to continue to build lives here in Maine. How many people do you think you've helped with your new program?

Greg Dufour:

Well, I don't know the exact number of people, but so far, in the first six months of the program, we've donated to various homeless shelters over $20,000 at this point. And we're hoping, obviously, that with the home buying season still going, still going strong, that by the time we close out 2015, that it will be, well, double of that. We've set no limit. Actually, more the better, because I think it shows, really, money getting to the right places. It was interesting when we spoke to a lot of the folks in the homeless shelters as we were rolling this out, because we really didn't know if $100 at a time would make a difference. And one executive director of a homeless shelter sat there looking at me a little skeptical, and he said, so what do we have to do to get this money? I said, well, nothing. We'll come by with a check and you take it. So what do I have to report back? What, am I restricted in using it? We said, no, this is just. You're the experts. You do with it what you want. And he said, it's great because I was asking, would a hundred dollars make an impact? He said, having $100, no matter what size shelter to do with it, what the management wants of that shelter to do with it is extremely important. It's not restricted by some of the grants and all. And so that made me feel really good that no matter what size donation that a particular shelter may get, that it is actually unrestricted. They can do with it and put it to the exact need that's needed at that point in time.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And have they shared with you some of the things that they're spending this money on?

Greg Dufour:

Oh, they have. You know, a lot of the shelters are. It goes into really just managing operations. Again, you think about homeless shelter, you may just think of the beds that they provide, but they're also providing food. And so it can go into that. Others are putting into programs to help the actual residents there get back on their feet. And that was one thing that I've seen. I visited one shelter. It was a family shelter, so single mothers and their children, or at least couples. And there were a group of women there that were getting jobs, cleaning houses to make ends meet, get up on their feet again, if you will. And they started saying, well, if we could collaborate and create a business around it. So even within this they had this sense of entrepreneurship. And so some of the money will go to help them develop that if they need to.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Greg, how can people find out about Hope at Home and the other programs that are being supported by Camden National Bank?

Greg Dufour:

Yes, you can first of all, visit any branch within Camden national bank or for specifically Hope at Home is to go online hopeathome with the at spelled out.com or our main website CamdenationalBank.com and there will be a link to our Hope at Home website there.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, I'm just thrilled that you have taken an idea and really turned it into something positive for the community. The $20,000 that Camden national has already given to the homeless shelters in the state and hopefully the additional $20,000 for the second half of the year, I'm sure that it's going to good use. And I guess what this just reminds me is that really, if you have an idea, you can turn it into something. You don't have to sit back and wonder why the world is going in the wrong direction. You can kind of set it right in your own way. So I appreciate the time that you have spent on this program. We've been speaking with Greg Dufour, the president of Camden national bank and also the individual who put into place the innovative Hope at Home program for which Camden National bank donates $100 to homeless shelter in the community of each new homeowner. Thanks so much for coming on the program and for the work you do.

Greg Dufour:

Thank you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You have been listening to Lovemain radio show number 212, Homeward Bound. Our guests have included Thomas Patacek and Greg Dufour. Follow me on Twitter as DrLisa and see my running travel, food and wellness photos as bountiful1 on Instagram. We love to hear from you, so please let us know what you think of Love Maine Radio. We welcome your suggestions for future shows. Also let our sponsors know that you

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

have heard about them here.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

We are privileged that they enable us to bring Love Maine Radio to you each week. This is Dr. Lisa Belisle. I hope that you have enjoyed our Homeward Bound show. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day. May you have a bountiful life.

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Thomas Ptacek:

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