A full-time student in the Bachelor of Social Work program and the Executive Director of the Astoria Warming Center, Teresa Barnes, like many, was driven by the tumultuous year of 2020 to pursue work that has a positive impact on people’s lives.
“The 2020 protests made me realize that I couldn’t say that I cared about making systemic changes without trying as hard as I could to do something,” said Barnes.
While the protests sparked feelings that more needed to be done, Barnes had long been working to try and solve issues surrounding homelessness in her community. “I’ve always been drawn to doing something about homelessness. I was taught to share what I have with others, so I’d often let people sleep on my couch or in my yard, but it was apparent that a more coordinated response was necessary.”
In 2014, Barnes began volunteering at the Astoria Warming Center in hopes of developing a more collaborative effort to help solve homelessness. Constantly striving to push progress, Barnes has found one obstacle to be misconceptions about what public assistance can accomplish.
“The most frustrating thing is that so many people are wary of giving handouts to people experiencing homelessness, but don’t blink an eye at spending millions on police salaries, court costs, emergency room visits, and building new jails,” said Barnes. “It costs so much more to do nothing about homelessness than it would cost to give every person housing. I say this all the time, but I feel like people either don’t believe it or just aren’t ready to hear it.”
By 2020, Barnes’ desire to do more meaningful work had reached a peak. With protests calling for human rights and positive social change sweeping the nation, Barnes decided to officially join the Astoria Warming Center staff as their Executive Director. Just days after accepting her new position, Barnes also submitted an application to the PSU Bachelor of Social Work program and has since found that her education is instrumental to her role at the Warming Center.
“We recently had our strategic planning meetings in the same week as I was learning about how systems of oppression show up in organizations, so the timing couldn’t have been better!” said Barnes. “While it has been incredibly stressful to work and go to school full time, I can’t imagine doing my job without the knowledge I’ve gained.”