VOA Provides During Family Crisis
The holiday season reminds us to give the gift of caring! YNN is proud to sponsor the Volunteers of Americas Your Caring Gifts campaign.
In this profile, we learn how the VOA is providing shelter to families in need.
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Denean and Ernest Smith knew they had to move out of their Driving Park home.
“Everyday we'd get in the car and warm up. Get back in the house. We all slept together, in one room, downstairs, not upstairs. No electric upstairs."
They didn't have anywhere to stay as they looked for a new place. With four children, Ernest and Denean had to find somewhere to go, right away.
“The last straw was about a month ago, it was 45 degrees in our house. It was a really cold day, because we have no furnace."
The family came, to the Volunteers of America's Emergency Family Shelter, the Guest House. The shelter helps families get back on their feet, offering them three meals a day, access to a food pantry, laundry room and play room for the kids. There's a case manager on site to help families access services and school buses will pick kids up here to take them to school.
Ernest is a machine operator at a local company, and says this place is very much needed to help families like his.
“It's very helpful. It's better than being on the streets. A lot of people don't have family, or have family, that says, no you can't come here," said Ernest.
Jacquetta Calhoune said that's why this shelter exists. It's only one of two shelters in the county that allows families, mom, dad and kids to all stay together. They also allow families to be here during the day so they can use computers, phones and fax while looking for a new place to live, a job or other services.
“We can only house 12 families, so we know there's more out there than that. What we are able to provide, people are very grateful for. Since June we have been filled to capacity. There is a definite need for our services,” said Calhoune.
Government funds and grants help maintain the shelter, the VOA also depends on donations, from money to toys.
The Smiths are hoping to find out in the next few days whether soon have a new place to call home.