Staff Member Garrett Brings Compassion, Empathy to New Role of Case Manager
By Colleen Martinson, Director of Development & Communications
Garrett Dulaney has been in his position as Ballard Food Bank’s first case manager for just a few months but has already had a powerful impact on the folks he’s working with. While he sees about fifty people each week, he works most closely with 12 to 15. He holds weekly walk-in hours at Ballard Food Bank’s Community Resource Hub but also can be seen on the streets of our neighborhood connecting with people who are unhoused.
Garrett is an ardent advocate for people experiencing homelessness, and he speaks of the challenges with compassion and deep understanding because he has been there. He has lived experience with homelessness, addiction and recovery. He knows how incredibly difficult it is to survive when it seems as if everyone and everything, including systems, are against you.
“Being homeless is a full-time job,” he says. “Trying to avoid negative contact with law enforcement and housed neighbors. Keeping your stuff from being stolen, figuring out how to get food. Showering once a week is a luxury: It takes four to six hours to wait in line, get a shower, and leave. Everything takes so long. More than likely, you have to traverse the city. If you’re lucky, you have a bus pass. Having all of this stuff stacked against you completely disables you as a person.”
With Garrett’s support navigating a long and difficult process, two of his clients recently were placed in housing. They now live in Ballard’s own Toft Terrace via a partnership between Plymouth Housing and Ballard Food Bank.
While others might consider their work done at that point, Garrett knows he must stick with his clients to help them through the tough transition. “It’s important to continue support once they’re in housing,” he stresses. “Many of these folks have been on the street for years. One woman who just got housing had been living in broken-down vehicles for more than 10 years.”
Garrett Dulaney
He adds: “When folks have been on the streets for years, technology and life have moved on without them. Handling even simple things like how to get in touch with the property management company to fix your leaky sink, how to go to an online portal to pay rent — they need help with this kind of thing to stay housed. You don’t know what to do. It becomes overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. You end up not being able to do these things.”
Garrett sees his role clearly. “Having someone to walk alongside them, who they can lean on, ask questions of and not be embarrassed, knowing they won’t be criticized — it’s immensely helpful.”
“Being homeless is a full-time job. Trying to avoid negative contact with law enforcement and housed neighbors. Keeping your stuff from being stolen, figuring out how to get food. Showering once a week is a luxury: It takes four to six hours to wait in line, get a shower, and leave. Everything takes so long. More than likely, you have to traverse the city. If you’re lucky, you have a bus pass. Having all of this stuff stacked against you completely disables you as a person.” ”
Even more than helping people with logistics, he truly sees the people he works with as individuals and he listens to what matters to them. This deepens trust. “One of the first things this woman was concerned about was her books in storage,” he says of one client. “So, the first thing I did was pick up a bookcase. It was incredibly important to her.”
Garrett feels good about helping people transition into housing, but he knows it’s only the next chapter of a complex story, not a straightforward happy ending. With a housing shortage, a long and arduous application process with no guarantees and often many disappointments along the way — it would be daunting for anyone.
With Garrett as their compassionate advocate, our unhoused neighbors have a fighting chance to survive and thrive in the next phase of their lives.