Stacey Drew (09) always knew she wanted a career in social work. Long after graduating PLNU, she’s making a difference providing housing and resources to those experiencing homelessness in San Diego.
Drew’s interest in social work began early, before college. In high school, she attended many short-term mission trips to places like Mexico and counties around Southern California. Seeing the great need all kinds of people have impacted her.
“It kind of blew my mind, the kind of poverty and need that are next door,” Drew said. “At that age you’re thinking about making a difference, and it just felt like there [were] a lot of things that could be done in the United States where I live. Doing that for work seemed really fulfilling to me.”
After her experiences in high school, Drew knew she wanted to explore that career, which is what led her to PLNU in the first place.
Drew explained that she benefited greatly from the small class sizes within the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Family Sciences. At that time, professor emeritus Patricia Leslie, Ph.D., was the director of the social work program, and Kevin Modesto, Ph.D. — who is now co-chair of the department — was her advisor. Drew finished her Social Work B.A. in 2009.
“It was wonderful; I loved it,” Drew said. “I think in my graduating class, there were eight students, so very small, and we got to know each other really well. It was a great group.”
After PLNU, Drew went on to receive a Master’s in Social Work from West Virginia University, and is now clinically licensed in California. While many college students might agonize over what to do or whether to stay in a certain field, Drew never had that problem.
Her lasting passion for social work took her many places post-graduation, including positions at Father Joe’s and Door of Hope, organizations that work to combat homelessness. She tried working with many different populations, in different roles, to see where she best fit. During her experiences at these other nonprofits, Drew came to understand how systemic issues like poverty, lack of childcare, and abuse contribute to continued housing insecurity, which only fueled her vocation.
At Townspeople, a nonprofit organization focusing on connecting those living with HIV/AIDS to housing, Drew is the director of supportive services.
“We provide housing and homeless services for folks throughout San Diego County,” she said. “We have a number of different programs, and I oversee all of those programs. We provide transportation assistance, food rental assistance, household goods, you name it.”
Drew loves the challenging and fulfilling work that comes with her position.
“Our agency is learning and growing, and it’s a great culture fit where I’m at right now,” Drew said.
At Townspeople, she frequently draws on her past experiences to direct the various programs she manages, and enjoys the work.
“Townspeople is a really fun place to work and really supportive,” she said. “But of course, like any nonprofit and in homeless services, there’s way more to do than there are hours of the day. So [you] definitely have to have to pace yourself.”
To avoid burnout, she applies the advice she gives to participants at Townspeople.
“I try to build into our participants…resiliency, and that’s like positive support systems, taking care of yourself, [and] meeting your own personal needs. I definitely am a champion for that.”
For Drew, her network of family and friends in the area are her support system.
“I have a wonderful family, husband and son, who are very supportive and bring me a lot of joy. I’m a professional…[but] you have to kind of nurture all the different parts of who you are and all your interests.”
Townspeople’s initiatives aim to serve clientele from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. One new project has taken up a lot of Drew’s attention.
“We just started this past year a shared housing initiative,” she said. “We’re really excited about [it] because it’s working really well. It’s not a groundbreaking concept…[but] for whatever reason, in homeless services, that concept has never been champion — that hasn’t been a focus.”
The reasoning for more shared housing is grounded in the makeup of San Diego’s housing market.
“80% of our rental stock is multi bedroom housing, or multi bedroom units, and so that leaves a lot of us competing for a very small percentage of one bedroom and studio units,” Drew said. “Our clients are definitely at a disadvantage in that given that they probably have credit issues or lower income than others.”
Alongside economic benefits, a push for more shared housing — matching up participants with potential housemates using an algorithm and profiles — has social benefits as well.
“A lot of our clients who move into one bedroom or studio units end up decompensating [deteriorate] because they’ve been used to living in community… they either isolate or really decompensate.”
Being able to live with friends, family members, or like-minded individuals can help someone do better in permanent housing. Drew linked the importance of mental health and social support, and how strong relationships build strong people.
“We don’t all have the same coping tools or resilience or buffers that some other people have,” she said. “Homelessness can happen to anyone, is kind of what I learned, and we’re all struggling, so we need to be available to each other.”
“Homelessness can happen to anyone, is kind of what I learned, and we’re all struggling, so we need to be available to each other.”
For PLNU graduates entering the job force, Drew stressed a healthy and balanced workplace as a key to success.
“Don’t stick at a job that is dysfunctional or unhealthy,” she said. “You can find other places to work…You can’t just be passionate about something and then have people that drive you crazy.”
Her time hopping from position to position gave her perspective.
“I’m really happy that I bounced around as much as I did. It kind of led me to realizing what I don’t want in employment…and now I see what employment can feel like, and it feels really supportive and exciting.”
