Limits to agencies
Realistically, depending on social agencies can take you only so far. Smaller agencies may go out of business, or the quality of their work may change dramatically. (For example, CAPA, the organization that helped Julie pay for a housekeeper, is now defunct.) Large agencies, especially governmental ones, are often bureaucratic with inflexible and annoying rules and regulations and may seem not as caring as they could be or as culturally sensitive to people’s backgrounds or needs. Sometimes the frustrations of dealing with an agency seem to outweigh the benefits. Gigi Gregory, a health educator with the African American Health Initiative, says, “You want to find an agency that meets your needs as far as cost, flexibility, comprehensiveness, and cultural competence. And that may be hard to find.”
Friends, family, neighbors, and members of your congregation may care about you more and provide a more personal touch. Receiving help from them can deepen your relationship and bring you closer together. They can be vital resources. But they frequently don’t have all the resources that agencies have. It’s also good to remember that all agencies are made up of individuals, and these individuals are people with whom one can build a personal relationship. Frequently, they welcome praise or thanks; they want to know their work is appreciated and may well reciprocate by giving better service.
The bottom line is not to be ashamed. Many people, especially recent immigrants, have been raised to count on their families for all needed help. Some people feel guilty about asking for outside assistance. But life works by everyone helping each other. You’ve helped a lot of people in your life and probably still do. It’s OK to take help from others, even agencies, and you might as well learn to make good use of them.
