 On this day, staff at Aegis House, a domestic violence safe shelter, explored the daily challenges they face in a field defined by trauma and violence. The following poem reflects the rewards they experience working with the women and children they serve, as well as with one another as a connected and caring team: I'm here because of hope. I hope that everything I do with our clients will help them feel less helpless, help them to feel good about themselves. These women, some of them have gone all the way down to the bottom and I want to help them turn their lives over, to make a new start. It's the ones who are stuck down there at the bottom; those are the ones I want to come back to. To give them hope. I'm here because I need to come back. I am the stable component in many of these women's lives. If it's not this client who I help, it'll be the next one. If I can make a difference to just one, it's worth all the work. I need to come to work. I've done lots of other jobs and yes, it's stressful here but I feel like I'm helping people. I like helping people. I like helping them see something in themselves that they can't see for themselves. I'm here as a test to myself, to see if I still have compassion. I've been doing this work for a long time but I still feel connected to the clients. I help as much as I can. I want to see each woman achieve something. I want to help them achieve. I'm here because of hope. I want to give hope. I like to help. I've been here for so long. I'm here for the kids, thinking about what they go through. I like my profession. I like to work with my hands. And I like people to achieve. I'm here for the community. Our community. I like the people I work with. The kids. I'm here for the kids. Most of all I like helping the parents to help their kids. | 
