Tony Santi lived with his family in a working class neighborhood
until he reached the second grade. Labeled as a "hard case" by his
teachers, he was placed into an institution for the mentally
retarded when he was about 8 year old. He stayed there until he
turned 21, when he was "paroled." During his years in the
institution, Tony acquired a reputation as a "runner," as he
constantly ran away.
As Tony's family were not prepared to take him in, Tony lived on
the streets. He became known at a soup kitchen, and the people
there got him into a shelter for homeless men. Tony alternated
between a number of seedy apartments and the streets, depending on
the money he had. During this time, Tony became connected to a
couple of individuals who worked at the shelter. Father Bryan and
Martha kept in touch with him and visited him in prison. Tony got
to know Father Bryan's family when he started spending the holidays
with them. After getting out of jail the second time, Tony worked
for the social welfare organization where Father Bryan spent much
of his time. He lived in a number of apartments which he became
adept at finding. Tony was also introduced to the people at the
Bakery when he helped Father Bryan deliver their bread once a
week.
The Bakery is a part time operation. It was founded to provide a
good working environment where people of different backgrounds
could work together in meaningful labor. The Bakery was seen as a
place where those usually left out of the job market (due to
disability, age, housework) could engage in part time work. As
Tony got to know people at the Bakery, he initiated and arranged
for a job there. He has worked at the Bakery for almost 10
years.
The important work of the Bakery is not simply in baking bread, but
also in how this work is done. All of the workers have valuable
roles in this work and everyone's contribution is necessary.
Baking bread is one way to establish and maintain a small community
bound by work and a common purpose. Like Tony, some of the workers
would not be viewed as highly skilled or capable on the open
market. But there are some ways that everyone at the Bakery is
enabled to make a valued contribution to the ongoing work.
Tony has lived much of his life within two human service systems:
the mental retardation/developmental disability system as a child
and the criminal justice system as a young adult. Since leaving
prison for the second time, Tony has managed to stay away from
either: his only connection now is a monthly disability check.
Tony still feels the effects of having lived in two institutions.
He was cut off from his family and the neighborhood where they
lived. Despite his efforts to return home, Tony was never able to
do that: they decided that he could not live with them after he
left the state institution.
Tony's support outside of the service system and his involvement
with Father Bryan and the others shows that there are accepting
people in the community. Individuals with disabilities are not
always rejected by prejudiced citizens, but can find a valued place
within the lives of other.
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