Good Fall 2013 News - Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan

Fall 2013
Goodnews
Quarterly News from Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan
Eviction Leads Cole Family on
Journey Through Homelessness
The Cole family relaxes in their home
after a long journey
When you enter the Cole family
home you feel warmth, admire the
many family photos, and enjoy the
enthusiasm of three energetic boys,
ages three to ten. You instantly feel the
strong love and pride that Shawna and
Darin share with their family following
an eviction from their apartment a year
and half ago.
Mother Shawna had depression and
medical difficulties that left her barely
able to make it through the day. She hid
these problems from her husband. By
the time she shared the trials she had
been facing, bills had gone unpaid, life
had spiraled out of control and they
were being evicted from their home.
They found themselves homeless and
bouncing between friends’ houses until
they exhausted all options. At the end
of the school year, Darin, a full time
employee with Grand Traverse
Industries, stayed in Traverse
City and continued to work,
while his wife and kids went
to stay with family in Grand
Rapids. “It was horrible
being without my family.
Occasionally, I was able to
stay with friends, but mostly
lived in our van. I kept looking
for housing and was continually
rejected due to the eviction.”
said Darin.
When Shawna and the kids
returned to Traverse City at the
end of the summer, the family stayed
with friends briefly until a room was
available at the Goodwill Inn. “I didn’t
know what to expect. We were living
out of suitcases. Everything we owned
was in storage.” explained Shawna.
“I was very scared. I had a perception
in my mind of what the people at the
shelter would be like. What we found
were people very much like us. They
were scared as well and trying to
better themselves.”
With misty eyes, Shawna and Darin
agreed that being together was the
most important thing, “The Inn gives
a person hope when they don’t have
anything. It means a great deal.” They
were able to all be together in a two
bedroom family room, enjoy meals
together and spent quality time as
a family and really appreciated the
playground. continued on page 2
Share the Spirit of the Holidays! See page 7
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Personal and
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Fresh • Scratch Made
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Call: 231-492-6350
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Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“Housing Support Services helps a lot. It is
like a safety net; they helped me find housing,
work, and assist with shopping and doctors’
appointments, and other needs.”
CHAIRPERSON
Glenn Hirt
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Greg Payne
SECRETARY
Jan Warren
Housing Support Services provides Jody Stauffer
with support to maintain her housing
and independence
TREASURER
Dave Stave
DIRECTORS
John Bales
Terry Berden
Robert Holdeman
Colette Champagne
George Powell
Rachel Roe
Bob Zimmerman
Six years ago Jody Stauffer first
experienced homelessness. Despite her
special needs, she has lived in her own
apartment with the help of Housing Support
Services (HSS) for the past three years.
Jody meets with her case manager weekly
at home and has become more independent
– relying more on herself, less on others.
She’s excited to have started a new job
with Grand Traverse Industries custodial
services, following a three month Michigan
Rehabilitation Services employment
evaluation.
“I would try, but I don’t know if I could live
on my own without the support.” said Jody.
The HSS team provides community-based
case management to formerly homeless
people with special needs as well as short
term assistance to families referred by
the Department of Human Services. HSS
helps reduce crisis situations, providing
individualized supports to promote and build
on success in independent living. In addition
to promoting housing stability (measured by
remaining successfully housed) the HSS staff
help people plan for and achieve improved
self-sufficiency and self-determination. With
the support of HSS, individuals like Jody
have a 91% success rate living in their home
for 7 months or longer.
People served in this program may face
barriers of limited income, poor to no
credit, criminal backgrounds, poor landlord
references, and transportation challenges.
The HSS team provides supports needed to
help overcome barriers to independence and
promote success in community living.
Mission: We help people
overcome barriers to
independence
Cole Family...continued
Goodwill Industries of
Northern Michigan, Inc.
Together with their resources and assistance from SAFAH (Supplemental Assistance
for Facilities to Assist the Homeless) and Inn family advocate, the Coles were able to
clear up their eviction settlement. In the middle of July their prayers for a home were
answered as they moved from the shelter to their home.
Corporate Office:
2279 South Airport Rd. W.
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 922-4805
Fax: (231) 922-2053
Web: goodwillnmi.org
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Shawna added “The kids adjusted really well...they did not realize it was a shelter,
they felt at home. We all felt welcome – life was as normal as possible.”
“The future is brighter,” said Shawna. “We cannot express how grateful we are to
have had the Inn to turn to. It needs to have as much support and awareness as possible.
When we arrived there we could not fall any further...we were at the bottom,” explained
Shawna. There is not a moment that goes by that we don’t appreciate everything the
Goodwill Inn did for us. The staff was very caring and supportive; we never felt alone.
I really don’t know where we would be without the Inn.”
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Helped and Helping Others
with the Forgotten Eagles to deliver a
donation check with the group. Two days
later, on 12/12/12, he moved in. “It was
the best move I ever made,” explained Hal.
Goodwill
Homeless & Housing
Fast Facts
(past 12 months)
Over the past ten months, he stayed the
course, attending classes on housing,
employment and budgeting as well as
continuing cognitive and physical therapy,
Street Outreach
Marine Veteran, Hal pays it forward
and
enduring
another
surgery.
Through
provided
services to
by helping others
recommendations from the VA liaison,
222
program
staff
and
his
physician,
he
also
people
experiencing
Marine Veteran, William’s (“Hal” to all of us)
homelessness on the streets
story literally starts at the end. His attempted attended Peer Support Specialist Training
through
the
VA.
He
has
utilized
that
training
suicide in January 2011 did not end as
Goodwill Inn
planned; he had not planned on a Michigan to lead a peer support group at Patriot Place
on coping strategies and has applied for
provided
shelter, support,
State Trooper reviving him. He spent the
his certification.
and resources to:
next six months in the V.A. domiciliary
592
individuals
care program receiving care for decades
Hal recently received a Housing Choice
328 men
of undiagnosed PTSD from the Vietnam
voucher through Michigan State Housing
195
women
War. Upon release he enrolled in school to
Development Authority, and is preparing to
69 children
become a peer counselor only to have all
move into a beautiful apartment. He shared
42
families
hopes dashed in a near fatal motorcycle
his feelings about the upcoming move, “I am
accident. This bend in the road resulted in
grateful. At the same time, I am conflicted
Housing Support Services
him taking almost a year and a half of hard
about leaving. I will truly miss everyone at
helped
work to regain his ability to walk, talk and
Patriot Place.”
221
care for himself.
disadvantaged and/or disabled
Hal is one of 67 veterans who have turned
Having exhausted all family options during
individuals & families
to Patriot Place since we opened our doors
his recovery, he found himself homeless and in November 2011.
maintain their
living at the Friendship Housing Center. He
housing through in-home
first came to Patriot Place as the Chaplin
support services
Life At The Shelter – A Poem by Janette Hendrick
We come in a little apprehensive, not having anywhere to live.
We are clothed and fed and given a soft bed.
We do chores, and go to class, obey the rules and try not to act like fools.
We all have a story to tell, some can’t handle it so well.
We try to get along, so one day we can sing a happy song.
Patriot Place
provided transitional
housing to
53
homeless veterans
Goodwill Homeless & Housing
Services provides a continuum
of housing services that
open pathways to housing,
employment and
independent lives.
Jobs and homes we will eventually find.
We appreciate you being so kind.
Find out more at
goodwillnmi.org/housing
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3
Get Involved: Be A Street Advocate
Goodwill’s Street Outreach is fully
aware of how challenging and
demoralizing it is to live life on the
streets. In an effort to positively respond
and provide greater interaction
and opportunities to individuals
experiencing homelessness on the
streets, Street Outreach is announcing a new Street Advocate
mentoring opportunity. We need your involvement.
Street Advocate mentors will work with Street Outreach
alongside people experiencing chronic homelessness on
the streets. The program is designed to be a team effort.
Mentors will work together to serve as a support network
for mentees and promote positive relationships and change.
Each interaction is a step toward increasing the likelihood of
transitioning from the streets and achieving long term success
in housing.
Street Advocates will receive orientation and training
before being matched with an individual living on the streets.
Utilizing their unique skills, Street Advocates will be a part
of a mentoring team building a solid foundation and strong
relationships to assist in progressing from homelessness
to housing.
People experiencing chronic homelessness are some of the
most vulnerable in our community. This obligates us to take
great care with our efforts. Encouragement, education, and
support help Street Advocates and Street Outreach staff stay
focused and improve our approaches to ending homelessness.
People’s lives and stories are very unique and taking time to
get to know a person experiencing chronic homelessness is
the first step in helping to end homelessness.
If you are interested in becoming a Street Advocate and
registering for our November training, or would like more
information contact: Street Outreach (231) 995-7721
or email [email protected]
Greenscaping Program Beautifies the Area and Transforms Lives
Started in 2011, Goodwill’s Greenscaping Crew pilot
program has grown to become a respected regional
model that has provided work opportunities to 31,
Goodwill Inn, Housing Support and Street Outreach
program participants. Through grants from the HerringtonFitch Family and the Grand Traverse Regional Land
Conservancy (GTRLC), crew members earn income, build
confidence and stability, while benefiting from vocational
services from Goodwill. These services include; resume
building, mock interviews, job evaluations and referrals
Greenscape Crew leader, Cliff Ostling enjoys the opportunity
to potential employers. Crew members interact on projects
to make a difference in peoples’ lives and the environment
with lead environmental organizations such as GTRLC,
in 2005 I lost my home to foreclosure – eight years later,
Grand Traverse Conservation District, TART Trails,
I am still grieving that loss and rebuilding. I am fortunate
Legacy Art Park, and SEEDS.
to have this job and an exceptional crew with quality work
ethic.” Cliff leads crew members from various backgrounds
Cliff Ostling, crew supervisor, is grateful for the trust,
and levels of education – each working to regain selfincome, and opportunity to work with homeless
individuals, and make a difference in peoples’ lives and the sufficiency, each with a desire to help the environment
environment. Unemployed for a year and half, 61-year old and a willingness to take ownership of projects.
Cliff shared the difficulty of getting employers to hire him.
“My engineering & surveying, carpentry and photography The Greenscaping Crew has been a vital partner of the
GTRLC,” explained Brad Gerlach, Volunteer Stewardship
experience is challenged by technology changes and
young capable employees competing for the same jobs.” Coordinator for the GTRLC. “We would not have been able
to do major projects like the Glacial Hill Trail to the extent
explained Cliff. “My personal mission is to teach and
that we have without this partnership. There is a lot of
inspire others to express themselves through their own
creative process. I understand the people I am supervising; positive in the amount of work accomplished.”
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Rescued
1.294 million lbs.
of soon to expire
perishable food
Farm to Freezer
Feeding new opportunity to Goodwill clients
This program is a life saver,” said a trainee
in one of Goodwill’s newest programs, Farm
to Freezer. “I’ve learned that I’m a capable
and powerful person, with much to offer my
next employer.”
This spring, Goodwill Food Programs
launched a new job training initiative to
deliver industry relevant experience and
certification for individuals experiencing
barriers to employment.
After the five-week course, trainees were
offered the opportunity to participate in
a 6-month internship in the organization’s
new Farm to Freezer program. Farm to
Freezer purchases local produce in bulk, and
processes and freezes it for sale to schools,
feeding programs and other institutional
food buyers.
“Farm to Freezer fills a clear gap in the
local food system,” explains Brandon Seng,
Director of Food Programs. “The initiative is
(in the past twelve months)
accomplishing 3 things – providing a new
market for local growers, creating job training
opportunities to transition individuals back
into the workforce, and storing nutrient dense,
local products for our community to use yearround.”
This growing season, interns have cut,
blanched and frozen nearly 30,000 pounds
of produce from farms in Northwest Michigan,
injecting more than $50,000 into the local
food economy.
“Through the power of work, we’re seeing
a transformation among our program’s
trainees,” noted Seng. “We know that they are
committed to showing up to work every day,
and are motivated to do the hard work that
a job in food demands.”
Distributed it free
of charge to
area food pantries,
shelters & community
meal programs
For more information about Farm to Freezer,
or to purchase the delicious frozen products
that it offers, please visit Goodwillnmi.org/
freezer.
Wish List – Hygiene and Basic Necessities Needed
Our Homeless and Housing programs have a critical need for the following items:
Shampoo and conditioner
Body wash/bar soap
Disposable razors (male & female)
Shaving cream
Feminine hygiene items
Fingernail clippers
Baby wipes
Baby formula
Baby diapers sizes: 4, 5 & 6
Men’s and women’s:
Underwear
Socks
Waterproof gloves
Items may be dropped at the Goodwill
Inn, Patriot Place, or your closest Goodwill
donation center. For additional linen needs
visit www.goodwillinn.org/wishlist
Put over a million
meals on the tables
where it is
needed most
foodrescuenw.org
For more information call (231) 922-4890
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Good Bits
Mark Your Calendar!
November 9
Shop Your Community Day
Downtown Traverse City
Designate Food Rescue or
Goodwill Inn to benefit from your
purchases
November 16
Meijer Simply Give Program
Helps Fight Hunger
Entertaining with Fustini’s
Cookbook Launch Supports
Food Rescue
Thank you to Meijer and their customers for
supporting the Emergency Meals program
through the fall Meijer Simply Give program.
Thanks to Fustini’s for their generous $866
donation from sales during the launch of
their Entertaining with Fustini’s Cookbook.
Holiday Needs collection begins
November 17 - 23
Homeless Awareness Week
Visit goodwillnmi.org/news
to get involved
December 7
Two Lads Winery
WOMP Day of Giving,
15% percent of sales will benefit
Food Rescue
Younkers Goodwill Sale Pays
it Forward
Younkers collected over 23,000 pounds
of fashionable donations during the recent
Goodwill Sale. Younker’s customers
benefited with in-store discounts, while
Goodwill shoppers found wonderful
merchandise – with proceeds providing
funds for Goodwill programs.
7-Eleven Change Jars Promote
Nutrition and Health!
Thank you to the Jean and Don Ludka,
owners of the Traverse City, Barlow, and
Campus 7- Eleven locations and their
customers for donating over $2,600
from change jars collections to provide
emergency meals!
For additional events
& information visit
goodwillnmi.org/events
Stock Up for the Holidays
You Can Now Shop and Donate!
Chums Corner
Donation Express Expands
to include Ladies Boutique
Location:
853 US 31 S., Traverse City
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 9 am – 7 pm
Sunday: 11 am – 6 pm
Phone:
(231) 421-9009
Fashions for Her and More!
goodwillnmi.org/shop
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“Truckin” Sparkling
Wine Benefits
Food Rescue
L. Mawby will donate $1 per
bottle of Truckin’ sold now through
December 31 to Food Rescue!
Buy “Truckin” wherever L. Mawby
wines are sold.
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to independence
We help people overcome barriers
io.com
Cadillac
Retail & Donation Center
2025 North Mitchell
Cadillac, MI 49601
Phone: (231) 779-1311
Gaylord
Retail & Donation Center
1361 Pineview Drive
Gaylord, MI 49735
Phone: (989) 705-1747
Petoskey
Retail and Donation Center
1600 Anderson Road
Petoskey, MI 49770
Phone: (231) 348-6947
E-Commerce
Shop online 24/7
shopgwmi.com
Chums Corner
Retail & Donation Center
853 US 31
Traverse City, MI 49685
Phone: (231) 421-9009
Traverse City
Retail & Donation Center
2279 S. Airport Road W.
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 922- 4826
Alpena
Retail & Donation Center
1201 North Bagley
Alpena, MI 49707
Phone: (989) 340-1351
Your
Order
Now
Cards
Holiday
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p aperwo
Acme
Retail & Donation Center
3922 E. M-72
Williamsburg, MI 49690
Phone: (231) 938-7042
Retail and Donation Centers
Mission:
Traverse City, MI 49684
2279 South Airport Rd. W
of Northern Michigan
Goodwill Industries
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TRAVERSE CITY, MI
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