Meet Katey Wade, a Social Services Advocate with the Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP).

Katey has been at HAP for six years in August! She started as a Lutheran Volunteer and, luckily, a position became available so she was able to transition to full-time staff after her volunteer year was up.

As the Social Services Advocate, she works in many areas at HAP – mostly working on housing and benefits advocacy. She attends Settlement Conference (aka the Housing Negotiation Project) once a week to help people who are going through the eviction process know their options and get the best settlements.

Katey told us about a memorable client: “When I began working with a particular client, I found his situation very challenging and really struggled with my own triggers. Most people gave up on him and bureaucracies refused to work with him. His personality disorders labeled him as a “difficult person,” but, in the end, I saw him as a big teddy bear in need of compassion. With the support of my colleagues at HAP, I was able to address his needs, help him apply and become approved for disability, and get him permanently and stably housed.”

Her favorite part of the job? Her co-workers! “This job definitely has its hard and heartbreaking moments. HAP is a 2nd family for me. We have lunch together every day and share our struggles and triumphs. We truly care about each other—I consider them friends and colleagues.“