A Ministry of Compassion and Sight at the Detroit Harbor Light
“People walk in for an eye exam, but it often ends up being so much more than that.”
Dr. Jacquelyn Blakey has been volunteering at The Salvation Army Harbor Light in Detroit for over 3 years. She sees respite patients and homeless clients and provides eye care and glasses to those who need them. For her, though, the work goes beyond checking someone’s sight: eye health is tied people’s well being, whether they are preschoolers or senior citizens.
“A child who can’t see is a child who can’t learn to read. Catching something like this as early as possible helps kids not fall behind.”
Through the Detroit Harbor Light, Dr. Blakey’s passion and profession meld into an effective ministry to Detroiters with dire needs.
“There are organizations that go into schools to give children eye exams, and they provide a great service. The Salvation Army goes a step further at the Harbor Light, because when I see kids for an eye exam, their parents are there with them. I’m able to communicate their children’s needs on the spot, and having that discussion helps ensure kids get what they need.”
Not only does eye health play into education outcomes for children, it is also crucial for adults as well:
“They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Well, that’s true – and we can also see if someone has hypertension or diabetes by checking their eyes. And for people in The Salvation Army’s programs, they sometimes are becoming aware of these important health issues for the first time because they have never gotten an examination before.”
“Dr. Blakey has an amazing heart for the people of Detroit,” notes Captain Jamie Winkler, executive director of the Eastern Michigan Harbor Light System. “Not only does she give the gift of sight, Dr. Blakey is a messenger of compassion, love and respect.”
Dr. Blakey gives eye exams, glasses, and screening for other health issues to people in need – and very often, she is privileged to go the extra mile for her patients. She and the volunteers who help her run the eye clinic also give spiritual and emotional support.
“You have that one-on-one with patients, and they give you some of their stories. I remember one mother in her 20s who came to the homeless shelter needed an eye exam and glasses. My daughters were volunteering with me at the time. They would help set everything up, do intakes, and help people choose their frames. While this woman was waiting to see me, she told my kids she was worried she wouldn’t be able to get her GED. My kids started encouraging her and told her about free online educational resources she could use. When I took her back for her exam, she kept on saying how glad she was that she met us. It felt wonderful to be the ones to encourage her to stay focused on her goals.”
Volunteers have an amazing opportunity at Dr. Blakey’s clinic to provide spiritual and emotional support to those who need it most, such as a young person trying to get off the streets or a senior citizen trying to beat an addiction that has dominated them for their whole life. For Dr. Blakey, each day’s work at the Harbor Light is fulfilling in a way that nothing else is.
“When I see a young family with nowhere to go walk through the doors of the Harbor Light, it’s heartbreaking – but then I realize they’re the reason The Salvation Army is so important for Detroit. They provide for the needs of so many.”
If you have experienced addiction first-hand or with a loved one, you know the toll it can take on the mental and physical well-being of its victims. Hope is the answer. Click here to learn more about how The Salvation Army Harbor Light helps people with addiction recovery in Macomb County, Detroit, and Monroe.