The Healing Beyond Hate team received this today and is so excited to be able to post this. We thank the person who took the time to share their story with us! Blessings to all of you! And remember, its never too late to send us your own personal story. Just email us at: healingbeyondhate@gmail.com and we'd be happy to post your story/personal account, anonymously if that is what you wish! Thanks for stopping by!
Here is the personal account from a community member:
I wanted to add something to this blog site because it seems like a resourceful way to get your story heard. I didn’t know how to start and I hate writing but I thought as long as someone can read it and relate to it that’s all that matters. I am a Native American Women I recently moved to Rapid City South Dakota. I have three children and I was in need of some help to get me on my feet. I was told that the Salvation Army helps with financial needs. I didn’t know much about the program or what process you took to get the help. So, I got a little head start on finding out what I needed before I went to the Salvation Army office. I brought a folder that contained the documents that were needed for the application so when I got there all I needed to do was fill the application out and attach the copies of my documents. I went to their office by K-mart. There was lady in the front office and I assumed she was the secretary. She asked if I needed any help in a rude kind of way. My first thought was that she started off having a bad say at work when I approach her at 8:30 in morning. To myself I thought no matter how you feeling, you should leave your personal problems at home and you should be professional to you clients. I proceeded to be pleasant but her attitude got worse. She started to yell at me like I was a child. I understood every word she said but it seemed that she didn’t comprehend what I was saying. I repeated what I said to her and she just got more mad and starting saying things that were off the subject. I took a step back and told her “I’m sorry you’re having a bad day at work but there is no need to yell at me like that. You’re a very mean person and you’re being rude to me”. She said “No I’m not I’m just trying to explain to you what you have to do”. I told her I have already had all the information that she needed and I just wanted to fill out the application. I felt I got her madder when I came prepared and she couldn’t inform me of information I needed to get. I ended the conversation and said “Thank you for your help but I won’t need your assistance”. After I left the office I thought about other people that go into Salvation Army office and get treated this way and maybe they don’t say anything about the conflict that happened there. They might just go on with their day of being treated badly because they didn’t know what to do or they don’t know about SANI-T and what they could help with. I didn’t want this lady thinking its okay to treat people badly because she is having a bad day. I told SANI-T what happened and two advocacies went with me to Salvation Army and spoke with her supervisor. Her supervisor asked what I thought her consequences should be. I said I just want her to know that this was supposed to be a place that people could reach out for help but with bad attitude you could turn away people that are in need of the program. She should treat people how she wanted to be treated. I hope this helped her see things different and treat people with the proper manners. I felt justice was served when I got help for SANI-T. Thank you all for reading my story and I hope you have one to share.
