Relationships are A Gift: Meet Volunteer & Supporter Rhonda Poppen

“Living in the city can be overwhelming when confronted with the needs you see in the street every day,” says Rhonda Poppen, a BJM volunteer, donor, and self-described advocate who eagerly shares about what she’s learned through her involvement in the Tenderloin. 

Last winter, Rhonda participated in our annual Poncho Campaign, an opportunity for BJM supporters to give a poncho and resource card to women experiencing homelessness as a practical tool and conversation starter. Rhonda had two ponchos. One went to a woman who sometimes attended Rhonda’s church and frequently slept at a nearby bus stop, and the other went to a woman Rhonda often saw in her neighborhood—two relationships she hoped to continue. For Rhonda, this is one of the biggest gifts volunteering with BJM has given her: a safe space to connect with women living on the streets.

Walking around a city like San Francisco, it’s easy to feel disconnected from those we pass. For Rhonda, the friendships she’s fostered with women experiencing homelessness through our Poncho Campaign and Nail Days help her feel more comfortable and connected on the streets. “These interactions have opened my eyes for the city and given me a deep heart for my neighbors,” says Rhonda. “They’re people just like me; they’ve just been dealt a different set of circumstances.” 

It can feel daunting to start a conversation with any stranger, sometimes especially so with women on the streets. That’s why we provide practical tools like ponchos as a way to break the ice. Not only do ponchos provide some shelter during San Francisco’s rainy season, they also restore hope and dignity to women through an encouraging conversation and a kind word. “These women are people, mothers, friends, and daughters, just like the rest of us,” says Rhonda. They’re our neighbors and God calls us into love and relationship with them. 

Rhonda’s advice to anyone interested in getting involved: remember that people just want to be “seen, heard, and hugged,” regardless of their different life experiences.

If you want to join in, there are many ways to partner with us. Email volunteer@becausejusticematters.org to get ponchos, and join us for Nail Day on March 14 to spend one-on-one time with women in our neighborhood! You can sign up here. We would love to welcome you to our volunteer family!