HOPE FOR HOMElESS VEtS - Volunteers of America Southeast

Caring
www.voase.org
Winter 2009
Hope for
Homeless Vets
Warm Blankets from Warm Hearts
Reggie thanks you for the warm blanket, clothing, and
food. Reggie is a homeless veteran living in a storage unit
on Dauphin Island Parkway. Because of the generosity of
Fox 10, HRH, Kimberly Clark, Wachovia Foundation,
and many other businesses, schools, churches, and individuals during Volunteers of America’s Season of Caring, we
were able to serve the needs of those less fortunate in our
community. Go to www.voase.org for a complete listing of
donations and donors.
Coming Soon....Homeless Veterans Services
Before long, Reggie and other homeless vets will have a place to live. Volunteers of America Southeast will provide a
transitional housing community with wrap-around supportive services to meet the unique needs of homeless vets along the Gulf
Coast.
Our 36-unit housing community will give dignity and respect to veterans who have been sharing their sleeping quarters
with a multitude of strangers for months and sometimes years. The community will provide clean, safe housing while increasing
skill levels and income, developing a socially productive lifestyle, and creating self-confidence in their own capacity to maintain
themselves in mainstream society.
For more information about the program, please contact Ron Emrich (Veterans Outreach/Case Management
Coordinator) at 251.421.0094. Meet a Vet....Turn to Page 3
I Remember Mama 2009
On Mother’s Day, Sunday May 10, 2009, Volunteers
of America Southeast will host our 19th annual “I Remember
Mama” luncheon, honoring elderly women who would otherwise be alone on Mother’s Day. Over 200 women will be
treated to an unforgettable Mother’s Day celebration, receiving
flowers, goodie bags, and a fantastic meal.
For a gift of $25.00, you can ensure that these women
will be sponsored, as well as contributing to our Senior
Services. Your gift may be given in honor of your mother or
in her memory, or you can acknowledge someone who has
been “like a mother” to you. A very special card will be sent
announcing your support in their honor. For more information,
or to give, please contact Theresa Young at 251.338.1565.
There are no limits to caring.®
Board of
Directors
President & CEO
Wallace T. Davis, PhD.
Chair
John Tyson, Jr.
Vice Chair
Charles E. Story
Treasurer
Robert A. Williams
Secretary
Cheryl Williams
George Bennett
Clark Christianson
Walt Dickerson
Dr. Victor Gaston
Monique Henley
Scott Hunter
Jack Janecky
Mayor Sam Jones
Donald Langham
Lowery Rhodes
Freda Roberts
Florence Rowser
Dr. Lemuel Taylor, Jr.
We come from the dark, gloomy days of winter to spring-sunshine and hope, new blooms, new growth. Although the
beauty of spring is upon us, we are confronted with uncertainty,
particularly related to the economic meltdown.
As we have seen needs rise, we have also seen the generous hearts of
compassion, as you can see from the stories herein. We are grateful
to those who care and give.
One special group of people is our veterans. Every veteran has a story, but not every veteran
has the support needed. Our new 36-bed veteran’s program will help veterans right here at
home who need a place to live and a job.
Through the generosity of Disabled American Veterans, we received $25,000 for furnishings
for the new veterans’ homes. First Baptist Church of Chickasaw gave $750. I am amazed at the
generosity of so many wonderful people.
Even in difficult times, generosity and kindness bring hope—just like a spring day after a
devastating winter—to those who have lost hope. While these are challenging times, we must
not wait for doom and gloom to take over, we must keep our eyes focused on the mission and
do what is right and what is good.
“I, the Lord will instruct you and teach you in the way you
should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
Psalm 32:8
Listen to
Uplifting Moments
Tuesday, Wedsnesday, Thursday
7:30 am
LiteMix 99.9 FM
WKSJ 94.9 FM
WZEW 92.1 FM
or visit www.voase.org
Volunteers Of America Southeast
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Reaching and Uplifting
Families Affected by Disasters
 At-Risk Youth and Children
Elderly
 People in our Supported Employment Program
Veterans Services
 Substance Abusers
People with Intellectual Disabilities
 Home Ownership
People with Chronic Mental Illness
 Faith-Based and Community Groups
People who are Physically Challenged
 Housing Needs in our Communities through
People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Southeast Steel Framing & Ballington Builders
1,700 People Served Every Day in Residential Settings
Winter 2009
2
Caring
Meet John, a homeless vet. . .
volunteers of America southeast to begin
compensated work therapy program
When John (not his real name)returned to Mobile as a veteran of two
deployments during the worst years of the Vietnam era (1965-1969),
he returned to a Veteran’s Administration unprepared for the devastating effects that war had on American soldiers. John...as did many young
men of his generation...both married his high school sweetheart and
enlisted in the Army within six months of his graduation from high
school. When the Army called him to duty in Vietnam, he left behind
a pregnant wife and a year-old son to serve his country in what we now
recognize as one of the most brutal wars in American history. This
easily recognizable story about the young fighting men in Vietnam
was followed by the equally common story of these soldiers’ return
home. With symptoms we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder George Myers (on right) with VOASE at a stand down
(PTSD) and addictions to alcohol and pain medications that began in program--Providing a safe retreat for returning troops, isthe line of duty, there were few resources for John’s reentry into main- suing coats and jackets to vets, while also educating them
about Volunteers Of America
stream American living.
Nevertheless, John began searching for the employment that
would give him a chance at rebuilding his life and establishing himself as the breadwinner for his family. John found jobs but
couldn’t maintain employment as his anger, flashbacks, addictions, and unfamiliarity with corporate structure outside the military kept him from succeeding in the jobs he found available. Before long, untreated PTSD and the personal disappointments
of failing himself and his family took the highest tolls--he was divorced, had alienated all family support systems, and was virtually unemployable. This sadly predictable narrative of the emotionally and psychologically damaged, yet still vital, veterans of
American combat service is the story that launched the Volunteers of America’s Compensated Work Therapy Program (CWT)
in Mobile, Alabama. The CWT is a transitional work/housing/therapy program supported by the Veteran’s Administration and
administered by Volunteers of America Southeast.
John had been homeless for many years, benefitting occasionally from local temporary support, such as “stand down,”
social services, and homeless shelters. VOASE would like to lead the way in assuring that homeless care evolves from a temporary
fix to a true solution. In this program, John will have an opportunity to work in the steel framing plant, also operated by VOASE.
The Compensated Work Therapy Program, as are others like it across the country, is designed to offer veterans suitable employment and housing. More than that, it also offers veterans the chance at true rehabilitation and reintegration into the American
mainstream through independent living and other opportunities that have been denied to them since their return home.
Volunteers of America Southeast knows that far too many veterans are homeless in America...
between 150,000 and 200,000 on any given night. Three times that many veterans are housed, but
are struggling with excessive rent burdens and an increased risk of homelessness. They are veterans
of different conflicts, including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama,
Lebanon, and the first Gulf War.
Research indicates that those serving in late-Vietnam and post-Vietnam eras are at the greatest risk of homelessness. Veterans returning from the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq often
have severe disabilities that are known to be correlated with homelessness. Among these new veterans,
homeless women are more common than in the past.
Caring
3
Winter 2009
new york university students donate time
Clarence and Linda of Pascagoula, MS lost everything in Katrina. After receiving a grant for rebuilding, they were victimized
by a contractor who walked away with the money and left much of the work unfinished. Pictured are volunteers from New York
University, removing ceiling tiles, cleaning, and framing. Unless other teams come, the home will sit just like the last team left it.
This is one of 4 projects made possible through your support in December and January.
Won’t you help? Call Paul McLendon at 251.338.1570 to volunteer your time or your group’s time!
“we want to thank god for your love and care”
Dear Dr. Wallace Davis,
My name is Bishop B. R. Jackson, and I am the Sr. Pastor of Rivers of Living Waters Church of God. We lost everything
we had due to Katrina (when I say everything, we lost the whole building and all its contents) but not our love for God and his
people. It has been almost 4 years since Katrina hit us and little by little we are making it back. If it had not been for the love and
concern of Volunteers of America, we would still be trying to get back to pre-Katrina conditions. These men and women showed
up and did some wonderful things for us. Even being a man of God, one that knows God’s word, I could not believe that someone
would come in and spend their own money, give us professional work, and ask nothing in return (after Katrina, there were lots
of groups taking advantage of good people). It blew our minds and we just want to thank God for your love and care for people
like us. In this ministry, we have about 40 adults, about 25 teens, and 40 children under 10 years old, so we do not have a lot of
resources, and we did not think we would ever get our church up again. Then you guys showed up and the rest is history. Thank
you.
Bishop B. R. Jackson
Rivers of Living Waters Church of God
Winter 2009
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Caring
where were you 45 years ago?
Some of us were in elementary school donating dimes to help
bring the decommissioned USS Alabama home to her namesake state. USS
ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park opened to the public on January 9,
1965.
Your help is needed again. Pictured
at right are Lauren Blight, a member of Youth
Leadership Mobile, and Bill Tunnell, Executive
Director of Battleship Park, as they kick off a
new fund-raising effort. Through Volunteers
of America’s Week of Caring, Mobile County
School children raised $5,433.36 for much-needed renovations of the battleship. We will be
working with schools across the state on this project through Memorial Day of 2010. For more
information, please contact John Eads at 251.338.1562 or [email protected].
brownie troop 8154 makes a difference!
Brownie Troop 8154 worked hard making survival kits for
homeless people in our area.
We asked Alexandra, one of the Brownies pictured here at
the far right, to tell us about the help they were providing. She told
us, “The reason my Brownie troop and I are making these emergency
bags is because we care. I’ve always wanted to help the homeless in
some way. In the past, I’ve given money and anything else I could.
Having a home is important because you need a place to stay warm.
I believe that we can help make the USA a better place if we help the
homeless, and that’s why we are helping here today.”
WOW! THESE ARE THE WONDERFUL YOUNG WOMEN WE ARE REARING TODAY!
COME VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND TALENT!
CAN YOU SING? CAN YOU DRAW? CAN YOU EXERCISE? Volunteers of America Southeast’s Community
Enrichment Center provides educational and recreational activities for adults with intellectual disabilities in the Mobile area. The
Enrichment Center is in need of volunteers to assist in teaching a variety of music classes, art classes, and exercise classes. If you
would like to volunteer to teach any of these classes, please contact Lynn Miller at 251.421.2210.
The Enrichment Center is located at 6500 Zeigler Blvd. in Mobile. We would certainly welcome even an hour or two a
month of your time. It will be a rewarding experience for everyone.
Caring
5
Winter 2009
Season of Caring 2008
Once again, our community demonstrated “there are no limits to caring” this recent holiday season. Through our partnership with WALA Fox 10 and your help, Volunteers of America Southeast was able to serve the needs of those less fortunate in
our community. Your gifts to our Food for the Holidays and Season of Caring/Ten Caring Gifts campaigns gave so many people
in need true hope and happiness during this often difficult time. So many people helped...schools, churches, businesses, families,
and many individuals!
Volunteers of America Southeast utilized 100% of
donations to assist people in our community who would
have been left needing during the holidays. Pictured at left
is the Light of the Village, where over 700 people were fed
at Thanksgiving! Many other families received food baskets
filled with holiday goods or were treated to a traditional
Christmas dinner.
WHAT A STORY! Pictured at right are a mother and
daughter who came into our offices at Christmas to help
those in need. The mother had heard Volunteers of America’s
advertisements on Fox 10 for our Season of Caring. She
and her daughter brought in dozens and dozens of bags
of goodies to be given to children. They wanted to remain
anonymous and were just trying “to make a difference.”
Students from St. Paul’s Episcopal School brightened
the lives of over 175 children of incarcerated parents this
Christmas. They volunteered their time and energy to make
Season of Caring successful and special for so many children in need. Gifts included bicycles, video games, stuffed
animals, and much more.
Winter 2009
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Caring
Hope
To Those In Need
Pilot, a catastrophe and adjusting organization
located in Mobile, collected $8,000-$9,000 in canned and
boxed food items during this past holiday season. Pictured
at right are representatives from Pilot pictured with Wallace
Davis, President and CEO of Volunteers of America
Southeast. This food was dispersed to those most in need
right here in our community.
Christmas is a time when all of us can pitch in and
help. It doesn’t matter how much in need we may personally
be...we can still help make a difference for those who have
less!
Pictured at left here is a young man from the Light
of the Village in Prichard. He and his classmates helped to
organize and distribute many of the canned foods donated
by Pilot.
Representatives from Payless Shoe Source graciously donated $3,600. Volunteers of America Southeast is
currently using these funds to give a “hand up” to families in
crisis.
Caring
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Winter 2009
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 1530
MOBILE, AL
600 Azalea Road
Mobile, AL 36609
(251) 300-3500
(800) 859-4431
www.voase.org
Caring Editor: Barbara Davis
Contributor: Keith Ferguson
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA
POSITIONING STATEMENT
Volunteers of America is a national,
nonprofit, spiritually-based organization
providing local human service programs
and opportunities for individual and
community involvement.
Upcoming
Events
Volunteers of America Southeast serves people in Alabama, Georgia, and
Mississippi. We invite you to become a part of our mission in reaching and
uplifting individuals in need.
Dog River Flea Market
Dog River Marina and Volunteers of America Southeast will host the 7th annual Nautical Flea Market, the Gulf Coast’s
largest, on Saturday, May 16th. Where? At Dog River Marina complex on Dauphin Island Parkway. Plan to come out
and shop the flea market for nautical and marine items, as well as many other treasures. All the proceeds will benefit
people receiving services from Volunteers of America Southeast. If you would like to make donations of any kind, nautical or other, call Theresa Young at 251.338.1565. There is no item too small or too large to be donated, and Volunteers of
America Southeast can provide tax receipts for qualifying donations. For more information, please check out our website
at www.voase.org. We hope to see you there!
Belk Spring Charity Sale
Belk Bel-Air (formerly Parisian) and Volunteers of America Southeast invite you to attend a special private shopping
event, planned for Saturday, May 2nd. Purchasing a ticket helps support local non-profit agencies and organizations,
including Volunteers of America Southeast, and the small cost of your ticket is refunded on your first purchase. This fantastic sale is only offered to customers who purchase a ticket. There will be many rarely-discounted items on sale, and it has
always been a fun-filled day for shoppers. This event certainly helps those in need throughout your community, so make
plans now to attend! For more information, please contact Theresa Young at 251.338.1565.
There are no limits to caring.®