Caring - Volunteers of America Southeast

Caring
Spring 2014 - Issue 2
this is
why we
do what
we do!
millennium
center
a drug
treatment
center for
women in
georgia
Hello, my name is Crystal, and I am 29 years old. I'm writing to you from my bedroom at the
Millennium Center, a drug treatment center for women in Georgia. I'm writing this with the
hope that my story might help someone else and stop them from falling into the dark place
that I'm finally coming out of... [Read "A Life Restored" on page 5.]
There are no limits to caring.®
Board of Directors
President & CEO
Dr. Wallace T. Davis
Chair
Donald Langham
Vice Chair
Patsy Dow
Treasurer
Clark Christianson
Secretary
Cheryl Williams
Board
George Bennett
Walt Dickerson
Dr. Mark Foley
Dr. Victor Gaston
Rev. Chris George
Jack Janecky
Sam Jones
Geri Moulton
Judge Edmond Naman
Lowrey Rhodes
Ashley Rich
Charles Story
John Tyson, Jr.
Bob Williams
Pastor Charles York
Caring Editor and Graphic Designer: Barbara Davis
Caring Photographer and Journalist: Keith Ferguson
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CARING - Issue 2 - Spring 2014
president's
message
We have had an unusual winter, probably an historic one in many areas
of our country. For many, this past
winter has been a difficult time, more
than just the cold--also loss, illness,
struggles. But we have seen first hand
the blessings that people have made
to turn a dark winter day into a warm,
beautiful spring day with hope that life
can be better. In this magazine you
will see stories of those who have experienced a new beginning; like
a tree in the dead of winter, spring came and new life appeared. And
you will also see stories of those who were a blessing!
We seek not just to offer people hope as some flippantly use the
word. "I hope you have a great day." The hope that we seek is an
eternal hope founded in our faith in Jesus Christ, not that you will
have just a hope for a better life but that eternal life begins now
with a quality that surpasses circumstances of the moment with a
deep abiding joy!
Why do we do what we do? We do what we do because of the
compelling call that Jesus Christ has placed upon our lives. And
that call demands that we reach out to the least of these...to the
most vulnerable...to those in many cases that are passed by on the
other side. Spring is about a new life. Easter is about a new life that
is available to all. And we are called to help all find a New Life with
real hope and real change!!
We are grateful for the opportunities that God has given us to serve
one another. I am most grateful for a strong board of directors who
share this mission, staff who work together to achieve our mission, and partners who enable us to "reach and uplift all people and
bring them to a knowledge of God."
This spring. I celebrate this newness of life and the blessings we can
all be. Recently, Coach Nick Saban said, "You can tell a lot about
a man by the way he prays... 'Lord bless me... ' or 'Lord make me a
blessing.'"
Your choice! But it makes all the difference in who we are!!
Watch us Grow!
Eagle’s Landing [Transitional housing for veterans]:
Currently we are at full capacity (22 veterans). Construction
has begun on an additional 16 units.
Our veterans need a chapel and a gym. We will do this
through donations and volunteer labor. Find out how you
can help!
Fiskars, a leader in the lawn and garden industry, recently
awarded Volunteers of America Southeast a grant to develop
a community garden at Eagle's Landing. The new garden will
reduce food budgets while producing nutritious food.
Valor Grove: A 50-unit multi-family development for
veterans and their families located in Tuscaloosa, AL. The
project is now under construction.
Permanent Housing: We are currently constructing a project
in Mobile, which will provide permanent housing to disabled
individuals, with a housing application preference for
veterans.
Developmental Disabilities: We are opening three more
homes in Georgia to serve people with developmental
disabilities.
Elderly Services: We have recently opened new campuses in
Picayune and Gautier, MS and in Waycross, GA.
Volunteers Of America
Southeast
"Reaching and Uplifting"
Families Affected by Disasters
The Elderly
Veterans Services
People with Intellectual Disabilities
People with Chronic Mental Illness
People who are Physically Challenged
People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
At-Risk Youth and Children
Supported Employment
People with Substance Abuse
Home Ownership
Faith-Based and Community Groups
Housing Needs in our Communities
2,140 People Served Every Day in Residential Settings
in a Continuum of Care
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
Spring 2014 - Issue 2 - CARING
3
millenium center, a residential
substance abuse center
a program by volunteers of america southeast
Pictured above is The Millennium Center which offers 20 duplex apartments, has an on-site daycare, and offers programs for
both women and children.
Several years ago, Volunteers of America Southeast was pleased to announce a great new addition to our organization’s mission. The Millennium Center is a residential substance abuse treatment program that features an on-site childcare center, located in Southwest Georgia, in the
town of Cuthbert. The facility is a residential treatment program for women who have a history of substance abuse. Counselors at the Millennium Center provide the motivation to obtain sobriety and a long-lasting, drug-free lifestyle, often leading to these women’s ability to keep
their family together. The on-site childcare center enables those women who might otherwise avoid proper treatment and care to continue to
live with their children. The Millennium Center adds to Volunteers of America’s existing programs in Georgia, which include substance abuse
treatment facilities and programs that support individuals with chronic mental illness.
The Millennium Center provides 12-month residential substance abuse treatment for women with minor children who recognize substance
abuse as a barrier to obtaining and maintaining a positive lifestyle. The primary purpose is to assist all women in achieving total abstinence
from all mood and mind-altering substances, maintaining employment, and being successful with their children in order to avoid child displacement or foster care as a result of ongoing substance abuse.
The program is designed to provide a full spectrum of professional drug treatment counseling in four phases, and to help women grow stronger
through each phase of treatment. All women are encouraged to address underlying issues and to get involved in community support groups.
Those that graduate from these programs leave with a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of self-sufficiency.
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CARING - Issue 2 - Spring 2014
a life restored
Hello, my name is Crystal, and I am 29 years old. I’m writing to
you from my bedroom at the Millennium Center, a drug treatment center for women in Georgia. My kids are reading in the
other room. I’m writing this with the hope that my story might
help someone else and stop them from falling into the dark place
that I’m finally coming out of.
I am married to Christopher. We
have two beautiful daughters …
Alexis is 10 and Chelsey is 9. I was
born and raised in Lagrange, Georgia, one of 5 children, in a normal
home. As I got older, I noticed that
my daddy drank a lot. I thought at
the time that this wouldn’t affect
me, but it did. There’s something
about being around someone who
drinks all the time that makes it seem “normal”. Sure enough,
when I turned 16, I started drinking beer … no big deal, I
thought. But before long, I was smoking weed, and then I
went to smoking crystal meth. You don’t control using this … it
controls you … you “have” to have it. I would rationalize using it
any way I could. At one point, however, I was finally able to stop
using it for 3 full years. I didn’t want to be that person any more.
my cousin … she had just completed the program herself. I finally
got the strength to call. I wanted my family and my life back
… and I knew that I couldn’t do it alone. With crystal meth,
nobody can.
I entered the program at the Millennium Center on May 19th,
2013, and before long, I knew that I had been given a real chance
to live life the right way again. I soon got my children and my
husband back, and I am steadily getting my life headed in a positive direction.
Right now as I write this, I am doing great. The Millennium
Center staff has taught me how to be a better, more responsible
person, a better wife, and most importantly a better mother. I
have to thank people like Carla Taylor, the program director, for
helping me in so many ways.
I have now been clean from drugs for 9 months, and I will graduate from this program in May, 2014. It’s a 12-month “in house”
program with 6 more months of outpatient treatment. I am
currently working on obtaining my GED and will then enroll in
the Certified Nurses Assistant program. Thanks to the services
provided by the Millennium Center and the wonderful staff here,
I plan to never return to that terrible lifestyle of drug use again …
never.
I was doing great, but things changed and I started using meth
again to “get by,” this time for 10 years. I had two children now
and I would actually leave my own kids, whom I loved dearly, for
days at a time. I wasn’t taking care of my children, and I certainly
wasn’t taking care of myself.
I lost my job, my home … and then my children to foster care. I
left my husband and actually lived in my car. At absolute rock
bottom, I happened to hear about the Millennium Center from
Pictured above is Crystal as a young girl and at right is Crystal (on
right) with Carla Taylor, the program director at the Millenium
Center.
Spring 2014 - Issue 2 - CARING
5
a reflection on partnering
with volunteers of america
southeast
Over the years, I have come to learn that Volunteers of America
Southeast is an organization that has a wide, effective reach …
but operates so quietly that its impact is not so widely known.
In 2006, Mobile County Department of Human Resources
(MCDHR) approached Volunteeers of America Southeast
(VOASE) leaders about assisting with providing Christmas gifts
to Mobile, Alabama children in foster care. Wallace Davis, CEO
of Volunteers of America SE, and Paul McLendon, its Development Director, agreed immediately to work with us to give our
children the Christmas experience and wonderful memories we
provide to all of our own children … things that we sometimes
take for granted. On average, MCDHR has approximately 500
children in custody and VOA has been able to provide gifts
for the 300 names we submit each holiday season. This is no
small task. It also relieves the child’s worker from spending time
recruiting sponsors, allowing them more time to concentrate on
the permanency plan for each child to return home, to the care of
relatives, or to move toward adoption.
To our surprise, Volunteers of America then ‘returned the favor’
by ‘asking’ MCDHR if they could provide backpacks and school
supplies for our children as they returned to school each fall. The
Department of Human Resources doesn't have funds to provide
these "extras." Foster parents open their homes, and often their
own pocket books, to provide for these children in a way that
will not further ‘mark’ them as children in state custody. The
backpacks are a blessing to the children and empower them to
succeed.
I have since learned about and participated in VOASE’s “I
Remember Mama” Mother’s Day Luncheon, which reaches out
to those ladies who might otherwise be alone or unrecognized
on that special day.
MCDHR also values VOASE’s role in The Learning Tree,
a program which cares for the most behaviorally challenged
children in our state, providing as much of a home-like setting
as possible. Many of these children would otherwise be
institutionalized in a very different setting at a distance from
family and friends.
Working with Volunteers of America Southeast, and witnessing
the positive impact they have on so many lives, has been a truly
rewarding experience.
Rose Johnson is former Director of Mobile
County Department of Human Resources,
recently retired
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CARING - Issue 2 - Spring 2014
the pines family
campus
"The Pines Family Campus saved my life and gave my daughters
the gift of stability." This is how one of the leaders of the recovery
community in Valdosta, GA spoke of her year-long experience
at the Pines Family Campus, a service of Volunteers of America
Southeast. A mother of two, Sarah is currently a trusted servant of
the Baytree AA recovery group. Recovery follow-up for graduates
has proven to be essential for long-term addiction recovery.
Pictured at top is The Pine Family Campus and the children's
playground associated with the childcare facility there. Below
is Rev. George Bennett pictured with Sarah.
Sarah is working full time and studying accounting. She also speaks
of the help that her daughters are receiving in the Alateen program. Alateen is part of the Al-Anon fellowship, designed for the
younger relatives and friends of alcoholics through the teen years.
The Pines Family had its origin in 2004 when two Valdosta
pastors, Dr. Leon Dye of the River Street Church of Christ,
and Rev. George Bennett of First Christian Church, Disciples
of Christ were invited to address the most urgent needs for
addiction services in South Georgia. Dye and Bennett wrote
a comprehensive plan for long-term treatment (12 months)
for women with addictive diseases and recovery programs
for these women and their children. God led these pastors to
develop programs with two agencies of the State of Georgia:
the Department of Human Services and the Department of
Community Affairs to construct the Pines Family Campus. It
has 28 duplex apartments, a childcare facility, and a treatment/
administrative facility.
Children’s Services estimates that the Pines Family Campus
has saved the State of Georgia millions of dollars in foster
care for children who were now able to remain in the care
of their recovered mothers. Addictive Disease experts of the
State of Georgia have documented that mothers who retain
custody of their children while undergoing addiction treatment have the best recovery statistics.
A partnership followed between Volunteers of America Southeast
(VOASE) and numerous social services agencies in Valdosta, and
the Pines Family Campus was built in 2006. VOASE has operated
the Pines Family Campus from its opening. The Department of
This same type of program was copied by the Cuthbert
Housing Authority to create the Millennium Center in
Cuthbert, Georgia. Volunteers of America Southeast now
owns and operates the Millennium Center.
Spring 2014 - Issue 2 - CARING
7
10 caring gifts
For over 25 years, Volunteers of
America Southeast has partnered
with WALA Fox10 in Mobile in
10 Caring Gifts to bring hope and
happiness to thousands of people
who are in desperate need during
the holiday season. We strive
to give a hand ‘up’ to those in
our community with special needs, the frail elderly, military veterans, children with no parents, and others who are truly in need. Through
Fox10, we partner with other businesses, families, churches, and individuals throughout the community to make this happen.
...a recap
This year, we served close to 10,000 people in our community. Through the support of our partners, we provided toys to thousands of
children, art supplies to schools and classes for people with disabilities, and coats and blankets to the elderly, the homeless, and to military
veterans. School children made Christmas cards for people who were alone, almost 4,000 people were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving or
Christmas meal they wouldn’t have had, and Caring Kits were distributed to people who had virtually nothing. We would like to thank all
the groups, businesses, families, churches, and individuals in our community who helped make this happen and who continue to grow this
important program year after year!
i think she gets it!
Written by a Volunteers of America employee.....A few days before Christmas, 2012, when my
daughter was 5, I asked her if she wanted to help me give some toys to a little boy and his
sister who were living with their grandparents. I did not mention the fact that the kids’
parents were both incarcerated for drug charges, or that their grandparents were elderly,
poor, and barely getting by when they were tasked with raising these young ones and
giving them a happy Christmas. I just told her that the kids’ mom and dad were far away,
and that they wouldn’t be getting any Christmas presents if we didn’t deliver them. For
a 5-year old, she seemed legitimately worried about that and told me that “getting them
some toys is a great idea, because Santa Claus probably can’t even find kids if they don’t
have parents.” She asked me where the toys came from so I tried to explain our “10 Caring
Gifts” program to her. It’s an annual partnership with WALA Fox10 and other businesses
and individuals in our community to provide hope and happiness to people in need during
the Christmas season.
She rode with me to deliver the toys, but when we pulled down the dirt road and up to the
house where the kids were staying, she didn’t get out … she just watched. A couple of
Picking up a special bike
months later, during her school’s Valentine “Date with Daddy” night, the teachers prefrom Trax Tires to give to
sented the dads with items made for us by our daughters. On a pink, paper heart, the
a little boy named Chad!
girls had been asked to answer “What is your daddy’s job?” My paper heart said, “My
daddy makes sure kids get presents for Christmas when they do not have moms or dads.” It made me really understand the positive impact
that “10 Caring Gifts,” and giving, has on so many children each year, even my own child, who has everything.
This year, my daughter, now 6 years old, practically begged to help me deliver 2 bikes and a few toys to a 5-year old boy, Chad, and his
7-year old sister. On the way, we pulled in to Trax Tires, a partner company collecting toys for us, and picked up a bicycle for the boy.
Leaving Trax, my daughter had me pull over in an empty parking lot so she could “test it out”. This year, when we pulled up to the trailer
where the kids lived with their grandparents, and where little Chad happened to be playing on a rocking chair out in the grass, she actually
beat me out of the truck to start unloading. The gift of giving is a wonderful thing...and she’s only 6, but thanks to “10 Caring Gifts” … I
think she gets it.
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CARING - Issue 2 - Spring 2014
project search
an internship program for high school students
who want to learn the skills to get a job and keep it
If you walk the halls of Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, you
may find young adults proudly wearing their Mobile Infirmary ID
badges that identify them as a member of Project SEARCH. If you
were to ask an intern what that means, they would tell you, “Project
SEARCH is an internship program for young adults who want to
work. We learn the skills to get a job and keep it.”
Project SEARCH recently began its first year at Mobile Infirmary
Medical Center with students from the Mobile County Public
School System. Thanks to the hard work of many organizations,
these 11 student interns received on-site work experiences. Each
intern completes three, 10-week internships at Mobile Infirmary
organizations partnering
in project search
mobile co. public schools
mobile infirmary
volunteers of america. se
ala. dept. of rehabilitation
ala. council for dev. disabilities
ala. dept. of mental health
alabama state dept. of education
with plenty of support from job coaches, a teacher, and the staff at
Mobile Infirmary.
Mobile Infirmary has generously provided classroom space
and internship opportunities in the following departments:
Environmental Services, Rotary Rehabilitation, Case Management,
Central Distribution, Patient Transport, Oak Hill Café, 4 West
Nursing Station, Blood Lab, Pro Health, and Medical Records.
Volunteers of America Southeast is proud to be part of this important project.
Project Search Group Photo:
Front row from left: Christine Wells [Project Search Instructor], Rebecca Jackson,
Cynthia Tenorio, Paris Blount, Courtney Croshon. Second row from left: Mr.
Mark Nix [CEO Infirmary Health], Lisa Brown [Project SEARCH Job Coach],
Deondre Smoots, Carol Statter [Mobile Infirmary Liaison], David Byrd, Clayton
Yakola, Thomas Fuller, Corey Johnson, Brandon Robinson. Back Row: Anthony
Lewis from Volunteers of America Southeast [Project Search Job Coach].
Spring 2014 - Issue 2 - CARING
9
you should not just retire from
something, but you should retire
to something
Meet Tom and Dorothy Schwanz from Wisconsin, and Larry and Jean Storeholder from Ohio … two retired couples
who are ‘living the good life’. Traveling from the frigid and wintery North, they recently came to the sunny South to
experience some of the coldest temperatures on record for our area! While here, they worked with Volunteers of America
Southeast, along with staff member Derrick Tapper, in building and repairing homes.
Story 1: Due to a series of unfortunate events, Grandparents Kenneth and Becky needed to move their daughter and her
children into their home. The volunteers added a bedroom, bathroom, closet, and additional space so their daughter and
two grandchildren would have a safe place to live.
Story 2: A Pascagoula family had some surprise when Susan awoke to some sort of seizure. The subsequent visit to the
hospital confirmed the worst...a cancerous tumor. For someone in their 50's, this was devastating news. After unsuccessfully
removing all of the cancer in the first surgery, Susan went to a doctor in Houston for further surgery. Unfortunately, they
were unable to remove it all and, following the surgery, she had a
stroke. Susan is home today but still unable to walk. She is working
hard at her rehabilitation, but results are slow in coming. Volunteers
of America, along with these wonderful volunteers from Wisconsin
and Ohio, provided this family with a much needed wheelchair
ramp and sidewalk, giving Susan the needed mobility to get to her
treatments.
This is the third consecutive year these two couples have donated
their time and talent to help others through Volunteers of America.
When asked why they do this, all four responded, “Because we are so
blessed and believe we should give back … and because we love what
we do.” Speaking about these two couples, Derrick Tapper of VOA
said, “These are fine people, hard workers, and over the years they
have become really good friends. I look forward to their time here
each and every year”.
The Schwanzs and Storeholders are true examples of people who are
making a difference in the lives of others. They certainly don’t have
to do what they do, but they know their cause matters in the lives of
others. It has been said, “You should not just retire from something,
but retire to something”. These two couples have found a worthy
vocation to retire to, and they truly exemplify Volunteers of America’s
mission to serve those in need and to engage those in need of serving.
We are so thankful for Tom, Dorothy, Larry, and Jean. Thank You!
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CARING - Issue 2 - Spring 2014
Pictured above are Tom and Dorothy Schwanz from
Wisconsin and Larry and Jean Storeholder from Ohio,
"living the good life."
They do what they do, "Because we are so blessed and
believe we should give back...and because we love what
we do."
trinidad delegation
returns to mobile to
share ideas and hope
A delegation from Trinidad and Tobago came to Mobile three
years ago to meet with Wallace Davis, President and CEO of
Volunteers of America Southeast, to see first hand the services
this organization provides. They were immediately interested
in learning more about our Enrichment Center, which provides
daily care and programs for people with disabilities.
Volunteers of America was forthcoming, even providing our
blueprints for the design of our center. The delegation returned
home, and they are presently completing their very own first
enrichment center for people with disabilities in their country.
Another delegation returned last month for more meetings
and information about our programs. What a wonderful way
for two countries to meet together and share ideas and hope for
lifting people up!
From left to right, Trinidad delegation: Consul General, Dr.
Anil Ramnanan; Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Angela
Edwards; Permanent Secretary, Mr. Simeon Yearwood; and
President/CEO of Volunteers of America SE, Dr. Wallace Davis.
Spring 2014 - Issue 2 - CARING
11
Volunteers of America
Southeast, Inc.
600 Azalea Road
Mobile, AL 36609
(251) 300-3500
(800) 859-4431
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S.POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 1530
MOBILE, AL
CARING
www.voase.org
Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, spiritually-based organization
providing local human service programs and opportunities
for individual and community involvement.