FrontLiner Profiles: Bill Kelly

“I work at Frontline to make a difference. Frontline works with the most marginalized and voiceless individuals in the community and is a voice for the voiceless. I have always had a passion for helping people and sticking up for the most vulnerable. Seeing someone prevail and defy the odds is what we live for as workers in this field. At Frontline, we have a chance to see our clientele defy the odds daily.”

- Bill Kelly is the Program Manager for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) / Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Outreach Team and has worked with FrontLine since 2013.

What is your current role? What are your basic job responsibilities?   

As the program manager of the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness PATH /Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Outreach Team, I supervise 6 staff members, helping them with any client issues and helping them grow as professionals.  I also review referrals to the Outreach program, assign appropriate referrals to the staff, and manage project budgets and client outcomes. 

What do people often misunderstand about your work or the people you work with?   

People often misunderstand homelessness, mental health, and addiction. When you tell people you work with the homeless population, they often apologize and say, “that must be so hard for you,” as if it’s court-ordered community service. I want to be here. I want to be doing this work. And I want to be working with this population. People often think if someone is homeless, it is the individual's fault, and they should easily get back on their feet. But the general population does not understand the nuances, highs and lows, and general struggles of mental illness and addiction.

What is your favorite part of your job? 

My favorite part of the job is hearing success stories from staff about clients that they are working with. I love hearing a staff member say that an individual who has been homeless for a long time finally obtained housing. Or when a staff member builds such great rapport with a client that the client trusts the worker enough to see a provider after being resistant to treatment.

What is the hardest part of your job?  

The hardest part of the job is not being able to reach everyone and help everyone. Not everyone is ready to accept help or even talk about accepting help; those instances are hard for everyone. 

What do you do to practice resiliency? 

I practice resiliency by talking to my fiancé who is also a program manager at Frontline. It's helpful to have someone to vent to who understands. Also, I have two dogs at home who I spend a lot of time with after work which helps clear the mind of the daily ups and downs. 

What is one thing you would want the community to understand about the work you do?   

I would want the community to understand that the individuals we work with at Frontline are human beings who deserve love and compassion just like anyone else. Rather than judge them for why they may be homeless, show them love and compassion instead. 

What would you say to someone who is interested in working at FrontLine?  

I would tell that person that Frontline is a place where you can make a difference. We work with the most marginalized and vulnerable individuals who rarely get the help they need – that's where we come in. The people who work at Frontline are great people who you can learn a lot from and will enjoy being around.

FrontLiner Profiles reflect the views of the person interviewed.  
They do not necessarily reflect the view of FrontLine Service.