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It’s no secret that the community aspect of Flagstaff is one of the predominant things that makes this town so special. Residents and tourists alike value Flagstaff’s small-town charm, and the feeling of being in a place where people know their neighbor’s name, where they look out for each other and for each other’s families.

And while we all value the warmth of chatting with a next-door neighbor, or exchanging friendly anecdotes with a coworker on Monday morning, there is a question left which we must also ask: what does it mean to care for our neighbors when they are not the person at the house next door, but the person on the corner in need of a dollar; or the parent and their children, wandering the town past sunset, looking for somewhere safe to spend the night; or the sign on the sidewalk which reads, “Will work for cash.�

For Ross Schaefer, this is not a question, but a calling. “A person is a person is a person,� Schaefer says, and her work for our community can be an inspiration for us all and a reminder of why there is so much to love among our Flagstaff community.

Schaefer is the executive director of Flagstaff Shelter Services, a position she has upheld for 11 years as of this coming August. Flagstaff Shelter Services (FSS) is the largest emergency shelter and housing program in all of northern Arizona, and they help anyone experiencing homelessness -- regardless of their faith, sobriety or mental health status.

Schaefer and her team at FSS work tirelessly to provide resources to Flagstaff’s homeless community, including short-term access to food and shelter, as well as many long-term services to help people seek housing, employment and anything else they may need to get back on their feet.

Currently, the team is supporting roughly between 300-350 people per day in one way or another, a number expected to rise throughout the year. Overall with all of the services offered, she estimates they help at least 3,000 unique people annually.

As executive director, Schaefer's job is to make sure that everything functions at its best both internally and externally, and she also credits the success of the operation to her staff. “I have an incredible staff of teammates who work really hard each and every day to make sure services can be delivered, we also have an amazing group of volunteers and a board of directors who really make everything work."

Schaefer's work with the homeless began in Richmond, Virginia, and she cites her personal experiences in leading her down this path. After witnessing a family member’s story of being born into homelessness, and starting their own nonprofit for helping homeless communities, Schaefer always felt that it would be natural for her to help people.

"I think I’ve been really lucky to find such passion in a professional setting," she says. "I think what makes it really hard is why I’m really good at it. The same reasons why it’s tough, to feel personally connected to your work and to feel like it’s part of who you are, are also the things that still make me feel like I’m where I need to be.�

While the support of her staff is important, support she receives from the community is equally important in keeping their operation successful. Whether it be volunteer hours or simply people dropping off donations of supplies, no amount of support is unneeded. She says they can always benefit from community members who seek to make a difference, either by spending their time volunteering, or dropping off things like extra razors and toilet paper they may have lying around their house.

Additionally, Schaefer speaks on the importance of community perception and action for those experiencing homelessness. “It starts with looking at people as people. It starts with not walking by when you see someone who might be not looking so great, even if you’re not sure what you’re seeing in front of you. If you see someone who looks like they’re in distress, do something. I don’t think we all need to agree on everything in this life, but I think we can all agree on a little humanity. Even if you don’t feel like you can safely help someone, there are people who do that. There’s plenty of room in this life to think of our neighbors.�

While keeping this organization running and successful, Schaefer finds it important to nurture herself and her own mental health so that she can continue to show up and support those in our community who need help the most. She expressed deep gratitude for not only her staff, but also her friends and support systems who help her maintain balance while doing such important, albeit exhausting work.

To keep her going, she is driven by the inspiration from witnessing great resilience in the communities she serves. “Every day, I get to pull into work and see these two brothers sitting outside, and it’s one of my favorite parts of the day because they’re so kind, and genuinely happy to see me. That same joy I feel when I see these guys, I also feel a very very deep sense of, ‘I should not be pulling up to work every day and seeing these brothers sitting here -- we need to get them housing because they shouldn’t have to be here.� So, I think I’m really lucky to get to know some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met through this work, and there’s an awesome responsibility to get to a place where I don’t see them every day. I’m not doing my job if I see these guys every day, and there’s another few hundred people behind them I feel that way about.�

To volunteer or supply donations, contact Flagstaff Shelter Services at (928) 225-2533 or visit online at .