Sojourner center is all smoke and mirrors. The top "co-directors" Bailey DeRoest and Julie Peterson have completely no idea how the impulsive unrealistic decisions they make affect front line staff on a day to day basis. Staff are made to over look drug abuse, exploitation, and child abuse unless it benefits them or has the ability to bring more eyes and donations. They are always the first smiling faces in pictures with donors and volunteers. But behind sceens staff are tasked with cleaning up the campus for donors tours in order to sell the facade that it is a peaceful oasis. Julie and Bailey have singlehandedly allowed a male on campus who has been charged with SA against minors, staff concerns were overlooked and brushed aside as Julie and Bailey personally directed staff to welcome him into the transitional program after he exited from Sojourner crisis shelter. This man preyed on the young women there before being arrested and charged for molesting and grooming young kids. At which point Julie and Bailey immediately washed their hands of any part and placed the blame on front line staff. This is their trend, they make "the big decisions" until they backfire, then punish their direct staff and enforce or "modify" policies to ensure their slates are wiped clean. Staff are placed in positions that are harmful, unsanitary, and are made to place themselves at risk of not only drug exposure, verbal, mental, and physical abuse, but also moral and integral crossroads. But as long as they are able to bill for the heads in these beds, staff will continue to be expendable. Staff concerns fall on deaf ears at Sojourner. Most staff stay because they love what they do, but at the expense of their mental and physical health. Julie and Bailey have absolutely no idea how the decisions they make from their high perch negativity effects staff "actually doing the work" and do not ever come down long enough to notice or even care. Sojourner Center is a glorified homeless shelter, you may donate thinking you are helping defenseless women and children in need, but you are actually funding a facade. Drugs, shelter hoppers with no recent DV/SA/HT, SMI, and pedos are where your money is actually going and funding. Staff didn't even get as much as a $5 gift card for Christmas for all the craziness they endure. read more
