Our Community Housing Leaders: Garrett White & Krista Sanders
Earlier this year, Chicago House announced Krista Sanders and Garrett White were appointed as co-directors of the agency’s Scattered-Site Housing Program. We’re featuring these new leaders with an interview below.
For those who might not be familiar with the Scattered-Site Housing Program, how do you describe it?
Garrett: Scattered-Site Housing Programs, or “SSH,” is a department of community-based housing and community outreach programs that are staffed by some of Chicago’s fiercest advocates who are committed to service delivery that embraces harm reduction as well as a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach. Permanent supportive housing resources comprise our community-based housing programs and include intensive housing and health case management services as a core component for individuals and families in Chicago who have experienced chronic homelessness and are living with HIV and/or other chronic health conditions. Our community outreach programs focus on supporting community members in navigating the housing systems of Chicago through housing information services.
From your perspective, what are the key opportunities for SSH moving forward?
Krista Sanders, Scattered-Site Housing Co-Director
Krista: Some of the key opportunities that I see for Scattered-Site Housing moving forward are to continue to expand our services for Trans Women of Color who are disproportionately impacted by HIV, homelessness, and housing insecurity. I would like to see sustainable growth for our department to make sure that we are not only serving as many as people possible, but that we are able to serve our clients well. I would also like to see Scattered-Site to continue to grow some of our programming around people who are at risk for experiencing chronic, long-term homelessness. My work in public health has made me view housing as a necessary part of healthcare and I believe that no one should ever experience homelessness. I think one of the keys to working towards that goal is to focus on individuals who are housing insecure which are disproportionately LGBTQIA+ people.
If you were to look into your crystal ball, where do you see SSH in three years?
Krista: In 3 years, I see Scattered-Site Housing growing in a sustainable way. I would like to see SSH serving more clients, but in a way that continues to support staff as well as clients. Social services have a high turnover rate largely due to burnout and believe that it is important for our department to focus on being trauma-informed for both our staff and our clients. Our staff are important to achieving our goals in both the department and the agency, and if they are experiencing burnout, that is both harmful to them and it has an impact on their ability to continue to do the very important work that they do. High turnover rate also impacts the clients we work with, because it is difficult to form a relationship with a service provider and a lot of clients have experienced service provider trauma. I believe that high turnover rates impact clients because it is difficult enough to form a trusting, supportive relationship with a service provider and it becomes even more difficult to build those relationships when the service provider is constantly changing.
Garrett: In three years, I see SSH having grown in a way that prioritizes the quality of services over the quantity of programs. Since I started with SSH as a case manager in 2016, the department has nearly doubled in size and is continuing to grow. Witnessing this growth has been fascinating and inspiring, and while we will surely continue to grow over the next three years in terms of quantity of programming, my aim will be for us to do so by means that are sustainable not only for the quality of the services but also for the staff and clients directly involved in the provision and receipt of said services.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work?
Krista: The most rewarding part of the work, for me, is getting to see clients excited about changes and their growth. I love when clients reach their goals and feel proud of themselves, when they get housed for the first time, or when they move into an apartment that they love. Unfortunately, our clients are not always housed in a place that they love because housing in Chicago is not affordable. It is great when we are able to find a place that they love. Another rewarding part of my work is when I work with staff around clinical skills and I see those come into effect with their client work.
Garrett White, Scattered-Site Housing Co-Director
Garrett: The most rewarding part of my work is the ability to experience the professional relationships I have with clients, the SSH team and agency staff, and staff with other collaborating agencies. In large part, what grounds me in this work are these relationships and, from them, a shared determination within the constraints of the systems in which we operate to honor and support any positive change toward the wellbeing of the community members we serve – including ourselves. Chicago House’s history, mission, and vision reinforce these aspects of the work, and as someone who is mission-driven, I take great pride in being part of an agency that shares in many of my own personal values.
How did you find your way to Chicago House?
Krista: I found my way to Chicago House because I was at a job that did not really mesh with the way that I wanted to practice in social services. My capstone project in my MPH program at UIC focused on homelessness in Chicago and what policies could be implemented to change that. My roommate at the time, Suz Cuellar, told me that Chicago House was great and very LGBTQIA+ friendly and that I should apply for a position that was opening up as a Safe Start Case Manager. This aligned more with my professional goals and my focus in grad school. I applied for the position and was interviewed by former Director, Avi Rudnick, and my Co-Director, Garrett White. I believe the interview was 70 minutes and even though they asked some difficult questions and it was the longest interview I have ever had; it was also the most relaxed and welcoming interview. I knew within maybe 5 minutes of the interview that I wanted to work at Chicago House and felt like I belonged.
Garrett: Before I moved to Chicago in May 2014, the version of me at that point in time insecurely dreamed of being where I am today. Living in the rural South as a queer person wasn’t easy, and moving to Chicago without money or knowing anyone here also wasn’t easy. However, I did so for graduate school with a drive for serving others through public policy – and eventually also through social work. In one of my night classes in 2015 focusing on social justice, the president of the university attended the class and shared about his experiences as a gay man living through the onset and height of the HIV epidemic. In addition to this, the class included an in-depth discussion of the systems in Chicago that impact members of LGBTQIA+ communities. In an advisory meeting some time after this, the university president shared information with me about Chicago House, and through my subsequent research on the agency, my passion for the work we do was born. After nearly a year of monitoring job postings, my previous supervisor, Avi Rudnick, took a chance and hired me as a permanent supportive housing case manager on April 18, 2016.