by Beth Hester
CoVaBIZ: Can you share a bit about your personal and professional background and what led you to your role at Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless?
Sparks-Washington: I’ve been fortunate enough to have had at least five careers to date. Not jobs—careers. My formal postgraduate education and training is as a Podiatrist. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology/Pre-Med from Hampton University. It was Hampton Institute at the time. Then I obtained my Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NY).
I completed my Residency at the Veteran Administration Hospital in Washington DC., and practiced for a short time in New York, but I realized I really wanted to be in Portsmouth, my hometown. While waiting to sit for my Virginia licensure, I began volunteering at the local American Red Cross Chapter and teaching as an Adjunct Professor at Norfolk State University.
Then I served as a Program Coordinator connecting Red Cross services to minority communities to increase knowledge around CPR, and First Aid. This was around the time that HIV and AIDS was on the rise in communities and so I began leading collaborative education and training efforts working with faith communities, civic groups, hospitals and agencies to implement Youth Peer Education initiatives. I was promoted to the American Red Cross-National Headquarters in Washington DC.
After leaving Red Cross, I worked as a Career Transition Coach with Lee Hecht Harrison. I worked in Fortune500 company environments, helping to prepare employees separated from the business to find their next position. All these experiences led up to my current role of Executive Director for Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless, Inc. I consider it the culmination of my life’s work to-date.
Was there a defining moment or experience that inspired your passion for serving the homeless community?
Darlene Sparks Washington, CEO
I didn’t necessarily have a pivotal experience for the field of homelessness; however I did have a defining life experience. My late husband and I moved back to Portsmouth around 2010 to care for my parents. My mom was adamant that she did not plan to move into anyone else’s home. This allowed me to coordinate medical care for my parents and assist with daily needs.
Then, in February of 2016, I lost both my mom and my husband on the same day, 12 hours apart. I was devastated. I had a 15-year-old niece who I had to care for and I was clueless about the future.
But I got up each day, showered and kept putting one foot in front of the other. Nine months later, I walked into the role of Executive Director for Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless, Inc. (PVH).
The organization was struggling financially and operationally. I was able to bring almost 20 years of local and national non-profit experience to the table. My coaching experience from working with individuals in transition and my life experience from learning that people can rebuild from the most unimaginable circumstances was invaluable. I leverage all of this to lead and grow PVH to meet the needs of individuals we serve.
What skills or qualities do you think are most essential for a successful nonprofit CEO today?
Operating a nonprofit “business of the heart” requires the same competencies found in for-profit sectors: financial stewardship, management and accountability, and fundraising skills. We must achieve clean audits, pass operational reviews and meet donor/funder requirements to maintain funding.
But we must be grounded in compassion, which allows us to operate and manage with grace. Grace for our clients, our paid and volunteer staff, our funders and supporters. We meet people on their worst days and it’s important to give them a space to decompress, gain self-efficacy and thrive. Many of our staff are individuals with “lived” experience who have valuable insights, yet doing this work can be triggering for them, so grace helps them contribute solutions from a safe and nurturing space.
Can you share a success story that embodies the heart of your organization’s work?
One success story in progress is a young woman who came to us after experiencing a mental health crisis that led to her becoming homeless. Her circumstances also led to her placing her son in a family member’s custody while she did the work to heal, restore and rebuild. After her time in shelter, she secured housing. She meets with her mental health provider regularly and adheres to her treatment plans. She’s advanced in her work and has taken a second, part-time job with us! She brings her experience and insights to our work which also helps her rebuilding.
What are some of the biggest challenges your organization faces—from funding to public perception—and how do you tackle them?
We have three big challenges: space, perception and funding.
We’ve been sheltering people at the Sheriff’s Work Release Center since 2020 and we’re thankful for our partnership with Sheriff Michael Moore. The facility is a blessing that’s allowed us to shelter through COVID-19 without service interruptions and expand from a 6-month to a 12-month operation. We still need a fixed residential shelter for adult singles to better serve this population. We need the space to bring support service in-house to make them convenient and accessible.
Next is perception. One of the campaigns I initiated when I took this role was, “changing the paradigm of our perceptions about homelessness.” The goal was to give the public a glimpse into the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness and to humanize their journey, cultivate support and help society move beyond the biases, fears and stereotypes. If we could get the public to see root causes of homelessness, we could nurture their support.
Funding. While we’ve been fortunate in cultivating a strong funding base, very few non-profits will say they have what they need to sustain client services. We need staff to fill roles around employer engagement as it’s not always easy to hire someone who is experiencing homelessness. We need to offer rapid rehousing assistance to help pay application fees, first month rent and security deposits. We need a reliable van to transport clients.
We’re actively diversifying our fundraising. One example is our signature fundraiser, Coldest Night of the Year 5K Walk. This fundraiser engaged supporters as team captains who then recruit walkers who secure donations to support their participation. This event is called an earned grant and we partner with Blue Sea Foundation to host this annual giving opportunity.
How do you maintain momentum and morale among your staff and volunteers, especially during difficult times?
As part of our on-the-job orientation for paid and volunteer staff, we create a ‘one team’ mentality. We operate from the mindset that we’re all the same and people aren’t disposable. We’re intentional about recruiting individuals with lived experiences, so we are continuously assessing our operations to ensure we don’t create unnecessary bureaucracy or barriers to client success. We celebrate small and large successes like securing photo identifications, income and housing.
Has the landscape of homelessness changed in recent years? If so, how has your organization adapted in response?
Yes, absolutely. Before COVID, we began to see an increase in individuals 62+ experiencing homelessness for the first time. The causes were varied and client-reported reasons included losing a spouse and being unable to maintain their primary residence, unsurmountable debt/medical bills, long term co-living relationships that fall apart and the person is not named on the lease.
We had to adapt our operations to accommodate seniors who have medical concerns requiring mobility assistance, more comfortable sleeping arrangements and in some cases recognizing cognitive changes and getting individuals connected to appropriate assisted living settings.
What role do partnerships with businesses, government, or other nonprofits play in your mission?
Effectively addressing homelessness requires coordinated, comprehensive and customized approaches. It requires a nexus of interconnected solutions based on individual need. Since society as a whole benefits from having thriving community members, there are roles for most entities to play in responding to homelessness.
Businesses can offer employment opportunities. Colleges, universities and schools can provide education, trades training and employer engagement opportunities. State and local governments can provide funding sources and additional support through their various departments, including employment, economic development, mental wellness, substance use treatment, judicial interventions housing and more.
Nonprofits, civic and social groups can provide direct and indirect support. These groups can assist homeless providers with meals, programming, supplies, personal care items and even housing if they own properties.
If your organization had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Sia’s song Unstoppable. We suit up every day for the unpredictable. Homelessness is complex. Preparing individuals to address their barriers and create sustainable outcomes requires us to be persistent. If one avenue doesn’t work, we re-group and pursue another.
Our efforts must be unstoppable.
