When I met my cousin-in-law, Meg Martin, I instantly resonated with her no-holds-barred energy. My husband David had told me that she had earned her Master’s in Social Work and opened a low-barrier homeless shelter in Olympia, Washington. While Meg’s mental health struggles are slightly different than mine, both of us have years of psychological suffering that have dramatically shaped the course of our lives. As we washed the dinner dishes, Meg talked passionately about her personal mental health history and her vision to start and run the Interfaith Works Emergency Overnight Shelter.
Meg tells her story and the mission it has stirred in this TEDxtalk about her shelter, where people on the streets with mental illness and addictions are screened it, not out. She is fierce, courageous and compassionate, and I’m so proud to call her family. See for yourself.
The IW Shelter will celebrate its one year anniversary on November 14th, 2015. For more information, visit their website, www.iwshelter.org. Let’s screen them in.
