[Guest blog by Jasmine Hilbert, SMART's Director of Outreach]
I have been thinking a lot about our SMART volunteers andparticipants and reflecting on our meeting spaces. I think highly of ourvolunteers who show up week after week and facilitate conversations aboutchange. You share tools. You hold space. You listen. You encourage. Youempower. Then I shift to our participants that show up, and the simple truthis, we don’t always know what challenges a person is carrying into our meetings.
Maslow’sHierarchy of Needs reminds us that before someone can focus on growth,self-reflection, and long-term change, their most basic needs must be met. Itis hard to concentrate on making change or building a new life when you areunsure where your next meal will come from. It is difficult to practice newcoping skills/tools when rent is due, the electricity is about to be shut off,or you do not have a safe space to sleep tonight. Life is hard sometimes, andsometimes we all just need a little help.
Recently, I had the opportunity to be part of something thatreminded me why the work we do truly matters. SMART partnered with the University ofArkansas’s Student Recovery group on an outreach project to make care bagfor the local unhoused population. Even though I am not local to the area, Iwas still able to help brainstorm ideas, support the planning process, andcreate a simple flyer with meeting resources for folks to have if they needed.
The flyer wasn’t anything fancy, it didn’t solve the housingcrisis or fix inflation. What it did was give them information, and informationand education is POWER. With information and education, you can make informeddecisions, you can connect with resources…or not. Just like in a meeting, we can share a tool,show you how it works, but you get to choose if you want to use the tool ordiscard it. Regardless, you have the information, it is there, waiting for youwhenever you want to tap into it. To me, the flyer represents us saying, “Wesee you.”, “You matter.”, and “Here are options.” It isn’t a demand or a push,just an extended hand that says support is available. This is something Ibelieve that SMART already does so well, we have SMART Tools available and on theready for folks to print out or fill out online as much as they need while theytake this journey. We have handbooksthey can work through as they navigate the changes and stages in their life.
This is the beauty of SMART and our values. We strive tomeet people where they are, show up, and treat every human being with dignityand care. We recognize that change doesn’t happen with a wave of a wand, andthat the folks attending our meetings are much more than their harmfulbehavior, they are a whole person navigating a whole life, just like ourselves.And when we help others, we help ourselves.
With the project behind me and SMART’s values in front ofme, I began thinking about how we could continue to build layers of support inour local communities. How can we extend our handout to our participants to saysupport is there? No, we don’t have all the answers, we are living this lifetoo. No, this doesn’t slap a roof over someone’s head or fill a fridge, but wecan start somewhere. It is better to light one candle, than to curse thedarkness.
I imagine a flyer by the door or resource table at ourmeetings, or a national flyer with nation resources was posted in the chat inmeetings spaces. One small sheet of paper (or pdf) that lists contactinformation for local food panties, domestic violence centers, crisis hotlines,local Department of Health and Human services, nearby SMART meetings…the listis endless. It is also unique because there are different resources in each ofour communities. What ties it all together is the goal: let folks know that thereare options and they are not alone.
To me this is another way to support the whole person.Recovery and change are about building a life you’re excited to live, andsometimes that begins with stabilizing the basics. When we acknowledge thatpeople have real-world challenges outside the meeting room, we deepen ourcompassion. We create spaces that feel more human.
I am always looking for ways to strengthen our communities.I believe that small, intentional actions can ripple outward in ways we maynever fully see. A simple flyer in a care bag, a cookie and conversation at aSWAP syringe exchange, a resource sheet picked up quietly after a meeting…wedon’t know how small act of kindness can impact a person.
I have peace and joy knowing that any act, no matter howsmall, is never a waste of time or a bad thing. When we plant a seed in theground, we don’t know if it will germinate and grow, we just trust that withwater, sunlight and care, it will bring forth something beautiful!
If you have ideas about outreach in your area and would liketo connect, please feel free to reach out to me at jhilbert@smartrecovery.org.
I will leave you with final words from one of my favoritefictional characters, Gandalf. In The Hobbit he says, “Some believe it is onlyGREAT POWER that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. Ihave found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep thedarkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
To find a SMART meeting, visit HERE