Isaac Arreola meets people where they are both literally and figuratively.
As Friends In Deed’s Harm Reduction Specialist on the Street Outreach and Housing team, Isaac is often the first point of contact for individuals living on the streets. He doesn’t judge or demand change overnight. He builds trust, one conversation at a time.
Isaac says his job is to keep people alive. That work can look simple on the surface: handing out clean needle kits, bandages, alcohol swabs, condoms, or pipes to prevent the spread of disease, and taking a moment to explain why sharing supplies can be dangerous. But, ultimately, he provides compromised individuals with the knowledge and resources to be safe, and perhaps, one day, make different choices.
Isaac focuses on connection and building deeper relationships with every client. Many of the people he meets have experienced deep mistrust, sometimes even fearing their identities have been stolen. Building rapport is essential.
“I’m just trying to get them to trust me,” he says. “That’s where it starts.”
Isaac’s ability to connect comes from more than training; it comes from lived experience. Years ago, he was unhoused, living out of his car while working and trying to get by. At the time, he didn’t know organizations like Friends In Deed existed.
With the help of family, he eventually found stable housing. Later, while Isaac helped his fiancée in her own work in homeless services by translating and assisting with outreach, he discovered a calling. When an opportunity opened on a street outreach team for someone with lived experience, Isaac applied. He got the job and found his purpose.
Isaac brings empathy, patience, and understanding to every interaction. He knows firsthand how complex the path to stability can be, and how important it is to have someone who doesn’t give up on you.
“I was lucky,” he reflects. “I had some support. Not everyone does.”
That perspective shapes the way he shows up each day: without judgment, with compassion, and with a steady belief that change is possible, even if it starts small.
At Friends In Deed, Isaac isn’t just handing out supplies. He’s offering something just as vital: dignity, connection, and the chance for a different future.