SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A choir for the unhoused is helping uplift those folks out of homelessness through the arts.
“A lot of people say that Mondays are the worst day of the week, and it’s not that way here,” Dennis Crosby, Director of Programs & Operations for Voices of Our City, said.
Mondays are rehearsal days for the Voices of Our City choir.
“It’s not just covers. These are original songs,” Crosby said. “I get happiest when I see people embracing what brings them joy.”
A talented troupe is made up of and for those who are unhoused or experienced homelessness, with something to sing. Voice of Our City and the choir program were founded in 2017 and have since created other programs as well.
“It allows me to interact with the folks that we are providing the services to but, it also gives me a chance to find out what it is they need,” Crosby said.
Crosby joined the non-profit in 2022. He works with those who are in the choir and other members, getting services to get connected to resources, whether it be housing, financial, or employment services.
“I think a lot of folks that we encounter get turned away. They get turned aside, or they feel the rush and the frustration of red tape. They need someone who can walk that path with them,” Crosby said.
“One of the things that everyone needs is stability in their life, especially this group of people,” Yolanda Sommer, Community Philanthropy Manager for Voices of Our City, said.
Sommer told ABC 10News that Crosby provides that stability to many people who are in the programs with Voices of Our City.
“But right now, you know what to expect. You know what you’re going to get, you know what the follow-up is going to be, and you know that you’re supported,” Sommer said.
That support can come in many ways.
“The little things, right? It’s paperwork. It’s standing in line, it’s making appointments,” Crosby said. “The opportunity to do that with someone that can help them. And that can guide them and can kind of teach them the ins and outs, I think, is crucial.”
It’s not only crucial that Crosby helps those who have music as their muse. But he’s also helped create writing, arts, and podcast programs for others to express themselves artistically on their journey.
“It’s providing more information about what their life is like and what they’ve overcome and reminding people that everyone can overcome something if they find the right place to do that,” Crosby said.
For Crosby, it’s about creating an environment and a community where people can feel comfortable at a point in their lives where things aren’t.
“We’ve got some folks that are dealing with some mental health challenges, some depression, anxiety, and they feel those things in the morning. By the time they get here, those things are gone,” Crosby said. “I take pride in the fact that I’ve been able to be a part of building an environment where that can happen for them.”
Crosby was chosen as our ABC 10News Leadership Award recipient for the month of December.
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