My name is Amber Meza and I started my vision of Off The Streets over 5 years ago. My professional background is in sales and marketing. I became ordained as a member of Clergy in 2003 and my first Soul Therapy trip was in 2008. I went to the "Tenderloin" District of San Francisco, one of the "roughest" areas to be homeless in the nation. After that trip of inspiration, I knew I needed to do more to help resolve this seriously upsetting issue. In 2012, my corporate job left me, my unemployment ended, and I had spent nearly 6 months being endlessly rejected for countless jobs, in and out of my professional field.
Feeling a bit lost myself, and knowing that social work always inspires me, I began to spend more time doing Soul Therapy with the local homeless, helping at shelters, and attending counsel meetings focused on addressing homelessness. I quickly realized that studying statistics, going to public meetings, interviewing Street People, handing out blankets, and providing food would not be enough to make the impact I wanted to make. I already understood, that each person living homeless, had a unique reason for being there, and that to help them, I was going to have to tackle it on an individual level.
To fully understand the people I wanted to help, I was going to have to walk a mile in their shoes, live as they live, work as they work, experience life through the eyes of a person who lives on the streets. I spent over 14 months living homeless, learning the hardships, feeling the loneliness and experiencing the public criticism first hand. I survived the exact same way that any other person on the streets survives, minute by minute, uncomfortably and on blessings from others.
I will tell you, there has been no time in my 44 years of life, more challenging then that 14 months. During this time, I pushed my own personal limits in strength, patience, empathy, understanding, kindness and love. Exposing myself to true hardship was also the greatest learning lesson I have ever received. Never again will I judge a person's character, due to their circumstance! Inspired by the knowledge I have gained, motivated by my own personal experiences, and excited by the number of people I have already helped, I move my mission forward. The goal of course is to get people off the streets, not for me to join them there. With assistance from people like you, the number of homeless I will be able to reach and assist off the streets, is staggering; in the most beautiful way.
Blessings!
Feeling a bit lost myself, and knowing that social work always inspires me, I began to spend more time doing Soul Therapy with the local homeless, helping at shelters, and attending counsel meetings focused on addressing homelessness. I quickly realized that studying statistics, going to public meetings, interviewing Street People, handing out blankets, and providing food would not be enough to make the impact I wanted to make. I already understood, that each person living homeless, had a unique reason for being there, and that to help them, I was going to have to tackle it on an individual level.
To fully understand the people I wanted to help, I was going to have to walk a mile in their shoes, live as they live, work as they work, experience life through the eyes of a person who lives on the streets. I spent over 14 months living homeless, learning the hardships, feeling the loneliness and experiencing the public criticism first hand. I survived the exact same way that any other person on the streets survives, minute by minute, uncomfortably and on blessings from others.
I will tell you, there has been no time in my 44 years of life, more challenging then that 14 months. During this time, I pushed my own personal limits in strength, patience, empathy, understanding, kindness and love. Exposing myself to true hardship was also the greatest learning lesson I have ever received. Never again will I judge a person's character, due to their circumstance! Inspired by the knowledge I have gained, motivated by my own personal experiences, and excited by the number of people I have already helped, I move my mission forward. The goal of course is to get people off the streets, not for me to join them there. With assistance from people like you, the number of homeless I will be able to reach and assist off the streets, is staggering; in the most beautiful way.
Blessings!