A message from Kate: Preparing for what’s ahead

Harm is happening in our communities—compounding trauma, layering on top of what we were already carried. The heaviness and exhaustion we feel is everywhere. In families, workplaces, neighborhoods. And while there is promise of relief on the horizon, the fallout will be with us for a long time.

At Walk-In, we’re not seeing a flood. Not yet. But the complexity of our work is shifting. The acuity is higher. The stakes feel heavier and the needs are expansive. We know from 56 years of community crisis that this is how trauma works—people usually freeze at first, at least parts of them do, and then later, when the severity begins to fester, the pain explodes in every direction. Untended wounds don’t heal, at least not on their own.

We’re preparing for what’s ahead. We’re sharpening our tools and our guidebooks, literally and figuratively. We’re tending to our systems now so that we’re ready when our community unfreezes. And, we’re appreciating our foundation—the strength, wisdom, and powerful network that we’ve built together—because we’ll need all of it.

And yet. When I drive around our neighborhoods now, I’m reminded why this work matters. Dozens of community members stand outside our schools now, every morning and evening—showing up (in the coldest weather I’ve ever experienced!) to protect our students, to high-five them as they walk in to school. These images are staying with me. After years of caring and advocating for vulnerable people, sometimes wondering if we’d ever tip the balance towards care as a social norm, I am being reminded on a daily basis that there is an army of people who want to make things better. We are in this together.

The response to Walk-In has been equally powerful. Professionals reaching out to volunteer from all over the country! (We recently received a care package including fish and chocolate from a partner organization in Alaska!) Community members are donating, investing big and small. It all matters. The outpouring of support has been hugely meaningful and deeply impactful. It’s a testament to what we have been building—when you speak about Walk-In with such regard, when you share our work in your communities, when you embody what healing-centered care looks like, people pay attention. They want to be part of it. It feels so powerful to be part of this organization, to know more of its history and to be part of building towards its future. 

The reality of our work and our world is that harm can cease, and regardless healing will take time. What’s happening now will be felt for generations. Walk-In has been here for 56 years because communities before us built something sturdy enough to respond to many different types of crisis. Our work has always been needed. It will continue to be needed, at least until we’re all fully healed. 

The only way through is connection, compassion, and care. Even when the session ends before progress can be felt, these are seeds that get planted and with nourishment comes resilience. 

There is real, uncharted harm being advanced. Our previously imperfect systems are wobbling and they will likely wobble more, some parts may even break, before they will steady again. And still, our work continues—not because we can fix everything, but because healing is always the way forward. Unless of course we’ve come to an end, but there’s too many of us choosing healing over ending to give up hope. There’s still so much goodness for us hold on to, as we advance healing over harm. Walk-In will be here for whatever needs healing. The ending of our story is nowhere in sight. 

So, we’re preparing (yell it with me: again!?!). Not by panicking or overextending, but by getting sturdy (yet again!) and nourishing, knowing more is ahead. We know that this means we must take care of ourselves while we take care of others. Our flame of hope for a healed and healthy society cannot burn out. We may feel angry and scared, resentful even, but we cannot and will not give up. Let’s continue to take turns carrying the added weight. We will continue to do our own healing work while supporting others in theirs. By nourishing ourselves while nourishing others. This isn’t indulgence—it’s how we maintain capacity for the journey ahead.

As a stakeholder of this organization, you matter—your investments in our past or present all matter. We depend on your ongoing support, no matter how big or small. You are significant—even in small moments that may not feel dramatic but are essential: you are a part of this organization, and we are doing big, important work. We see and value you as a partner in our work. 

So here we go, forward. 

The door is open. We’ll keep it that way.

—Kate