By Vanessa Hulse
Staff Writer
Sarah Rose Costello, a sophomore education major, is another coordinator at the Warming House this semester; something that she has been doing for two semesters now. She mentions that working at the Warming House has not only helped develop her as a person, but has changed the way she views people who live in poverty as well.
Costello talked about how before working at the Warming House she would try to help people she saw on the street, but would simply give them a dollar or some food. She thought people in poverty were lazy and weren’t trying hard enough.
However, since starting at the Warming House she sees people in poverty “as normal people, like me and you” and as “people who are just trying to get by.” She advocates that rather than simply passing someone by that we see is in trouble we should see them as a person that just needs “someone to help them through this challenging time in their life.”
Working at the Warming House has also changed how she interacts with the world around her. Similar to Jordan Garrett, one of the other coordinators this semester, Costello talked about how she doesn’t take things for granted as often as she used to. After seeing the hardships of others, she realized what is important in life.
Costello opened up about a particular family that came into the Warming House one day that especially influenced her. This family in particular asked for her help because “they didn’t have any place to live anymore” and were trying to get to Buffalo for additional services that could help them. It was hard to get there without the gas money necessary. Since this experience, Costello now understands that people in poverty “have lives too, have families, have to make themselves survive.”
The people at the Warming House have influenced her so much that she made the effort to leave one day of her week free to ensure that she could come back this semester as a coordinator.
Costello also talked about the Warming House and how many of the guests there rely on the Warming House for food. In some cases, she says, people have to choose between buying food for themselves and paying some of their bills.
However, with the help of the Warming House, the choice is much easier for these people since they have less concern about where their food is coming from. In other words, the Warming House is an integral part of this community and some people would have difficulty surviving without it.
hulseva13@bonaventure.edu
