Providing hope and healing by Paula Anderson
Homelessness, violence and poverty are societal ills that have been addressed for many years. Many organizations take on the challenge of helping people to move forward in their lives. The Salvation Army, one of the oldest organizations, has been working to solve the root cause and not just a quick fix. Gwen Hooper, public relations manager, said, “Our goal is to help women and families to rebuild their lives through programs.” “We provide a safe place to sleep and a warm meal because we address a multilayered approach,” added Hooper. The organization has a history dating back to 1855. William Booth, an evangelical Christian, saw a need during the Industrialism period in London, England and wanted to address homelessness and poverty. Since that time, the same issues seem to be a focus. According to Hooper, “The Purdue Center of Hope offers the following programs: Renewal Place, The New Direction and Camp Hope for students.” The Renewal Place provides assistance for individuals who are homeless and suffer with addiction. It is a housing program that helps women deal with the issues that lead them to this place in life. Some of the services provided are parenting skill groups, anger management, alcohol and drug treatment, transportation and criminal justice support. Families have an opportunity to rebuild their lives, so they can become stable and self-sustaining. Another family program is New Directions Family Residence. It helps mothers who are suffering from poverty and homelessness. Services include domestic violence group, parenting, financial literacy and anger management classes along with music therapy and pastoral care services. Hooper said, “We don’t want to repeat the same cycles, so we make sure they are capable of providing for themselves when they leave. Job leads are also offered to women.
When parents enter the Renewal Place for substance abuse treatment, children also need resources to help them be successful. Roberta Perry, youth development coordinator, serves as a resource for the residents who need academic resources and services. Perry said, “We set-up services with Shelby County Schools (SCS) to assist students with enrollment into the school system. The services are provided to all the children in the building.” The goal is to help children continue the learning process while they are transitioning from a shelter into permanent housing. Another benefit of the Renewal Place is Camp Hope for the children during the summer. “We want students to stay updated with language, literature and math. We offer an 8-week summer program from June - July, added Perry.” According to Perry, teachers from SCS are tutors for the children to help with academics. Greek organizations, Shelby County Health Department and the Memphis Fire Department provide services to children. There are also fun activities like Water Slide Day, Petting Zoo Day and field trips to various organizations. The camp averages about 40 students each year and it gives parents an opportunity to handle their own personal business. Mariel Hicks, volunteer coordinator, works with the Development Department to provide volunteers for the programs. Another program for women is the Single Women's Lodge - “the only specifically designed shelter for single women in Memphis- houses up to 20 of our city's most vulnerable individuals. Many suffer from mental health issues, substance abuse, job loss or displacement.” “It takes the commitment of volunteers for us to successfully provide quality support to our community. Encouraging family engagement and supporting the restoration of human dignity is an “all hands on deck” type of task and we rely on dedicated volunteers to help us make this happen on a daily basis,” added Hicks.
Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist. She can be reached at writingbydesignpr@gmail.com. All rights reserved - Writing by Design PR