The Innocent Victims of Homelessness

By Dr. Chad Audi

Imagine being a child, doing all of the things that children enjoy ─ going to school, making friends, playing in the schoolyard ─ but with one big difference: you have no place to call home. Sounds like an incredibly sad situation, doesn’t it? Well, that is the reality for thousands of children and youths across the country. In Detroit alone, there are an estimated 3,540 homeless students. Across the state of Michigan about 20,000 students are homeless, according to the state Department of Education. I have to believe there are even more children out there whose parents are ashamed to report to the school system that they are homeless.

Homeless children’s lives are constantly uprooted, moving from school to school and from shelter to shelter. It affects them emotionally, socially and academically. There are a variety of factors that can propel a family into homelessness. Poverty resulting from job loss, home foreclosures, medical issues or low wages are some of the main reasons. At the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), we provide help and hope for parents and children who have found themselves homeless. We give them shelter, food, clothing, job training, transitional and permanent housing, school supplies and much more. All of the things they need to get back on their feet.

But what happens to the children? They are innocent victims of circumstance. They didn’t contribute to the situation nor can they change the situation. Their youth must not be wasted away on negative images, thoughts and conditions. That’s why DRMM provides recreational activities, educational support, substance abuse prevention programs and summer camp opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth.

Make it your mission to help reduce homelessness in this country. Volunteer. Donate. Pray. Because no child should be without a home.

Saluting our Veterans

By Dr. Chad Audi

With Memorial Day approaching, we turn our thoughts to warmer weather, vacations and remembering the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. It’s important that our military veterans who did make it home from war know that we care about them and their future. Sadly, veterans make up an estimated 25% of the nation’s adult homeless population. Yet veterans only constitute 11% of the total population.

Many veterans fall on hard economic times when they come home. It’s heartbreaking to see someone who has literally given his or her blood for our well-being end up living on the streets. At the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) , we go above and beyond to help our war heroes. We have a program called the Veterans Independence Project, which provides transitional housing and services to homeless men and women who have served our country in the military. In collaboration with the Detroit field office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, we help the veterans with housing, employment, social and medical services, and educational programs to reintegrate them into society.

“David” came to DRMM for help when his life began to fall apart after serving in the Army during Operation Desert Storm. David suffered through depression and a divorce. He was fired from his job while on medical leave for an injury sustained at work. The arguments with his family increased, and David struck out on his own. “I ended up staying in my truck for a while and I thought about me being a vet there might be some places I could call and get some help,” he says.

We helped David with shelter, food and clothing. He found a job helping other veterans turn their lives around, and he is enrolled in community college. His future looks bright. You can watch David’s story at: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1283758/help_for_veterans/.

As we get closer to this patriotic holiday, let’s think about what we can do to honor and assist our homeless and disadvantaged veterans. And coming up in June, we are setting aside a Marathon Day of Prayer to honor our U.S. troops. Keep checking this blog and the DRMM Web site for details.

Lending Hands, Mending Lives

By Dr. Chad Audi

Drug and alcohol addiction, hard economic times, mental illness and prison releases are just some of the many reasons that cause a growing number of people to find themselves with no place to live. Some seek help at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) and other shelters, but others find refuge in abandoned homes, underneath freeway bridges and in parks. No one knows for sure, but approximately 14,000 individuals and families are homeless in Detroit on any given night. And although their stories are different, they share a common goal: survival. As an agency that treats the whole person, our goal is not only to help them survive, but also to thrive in their everyday lives.

We work closely with the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion on a community-based initiative that seeks out the homeless on the streets and provides them with immediate assistance. It’s called “Project Helping Hands,” and it has already changed the lives of hundreds of people. We provide them with substance abuse treatment, shelter, food, housing, counseling, job skills and more ─ whatever they need to get back on the right track.

“LaVon” got a second chance when Project Helping Hands found him. “I was on drugs, selling drugs, getting arrested, going to court, and ended up getting probation,” he says. “I just didn’t want to go back to my old way of living. I just totally surrendered. Whatever was suggested to me to do, I was going to do it because I wanted to change.” Today LaVon lives in DRMM transitional housing and is enrolled at a community college.

Like LaVon, many people in homeless situations want to change their lifestyles. But they may not know how to get started. The Detroit Health Department and DRMM can give them a helping hand.

Let Kids Experience Life

By Dr. Chad Audi

The song “Greatest Love of All” begins with “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.” It’s so important that children get an opportunity to develop successful personal and professional lives so that they can become our future leaders. But they need guidance to achieve their goals. In today’s busy world, parents don’t always give kids the attention and time they need and deserve. And children don’t always take the time to really experience and enjoy life.

Quality interactions with peers ── away from televisions, computers, radios, cell phones, iPods and other distractions ─ can make a huge difference in a child’s life. That’s what we provide at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries’(DRMM) Wildwood Ranch in Howell, Michigan. Every summer, the 240-acre ranch offers a sanctuary for 1300 youngsters, ages 9 to 17. Most of the kids are from the inner city and have never experienced life on a ranch. They participate in activities designed to teach life skills, build teamwork and strengthen spirituality. Many go canoeing, tackle a high ropes course and ride horses for the first time in their lives. The activities build character and self-esteem.

“Terrell” has attended the camp for the past nine years. “I’ve gained leadership skills to be able to show younger kids in the neighborhood how to do certain things,” he says. “It does prepare you for the workforce because you are learning a lot of different training skills. The camp changed my life…it keeps you busy and active and away from trouble.”

Kids who are at-risk or from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds can benefit from experiences like those at Wildwood Ranch. They get exposed to ethnic diversity and can have a genuinely good time without all of the electronic gadgets that are so popular with young people today. They also learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol in an attempt to keep the kids on the right path. The daily praise and worship services nourish their spiritual and personal growth. All of these things can lead to better leaders and decision makers. All children deserve a chance at being the best that they can be. We owe it to our young people to “teach them well and let them lead the way.”

Building Futures, Restoring Hope

By Dr. Chad Audi

For some people, having the ability to afford the necessities of life can be a hard road to conquer. Especially during a transitional stage in life when you’re trying to make all the pieces fit. The homeless people that enter the doors of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) need help regaining their independence. The backgrounds of our clients run the gamut from drug addicts and alcoholics to laid-off workers to ex-convicts to senior citizens and “working homeless” families. Since everyone’s journey to our ministries is different, we provide a variety of solutions to help reintegrate them back into the community. Our main goal is to give them a future.

We have partnered with Wayne County Community College District, Wayne State University and University of Michigan-Dearborn to equip our clients with the educational and vocational skills needed to compete in the workforce. As they travel their own personal path of restoration and recovery, they can obtain valuable skills such as secretarial and customer service training, Web design, electrical wiring, auto repair, video production and landscape training. Many of our clients graduate from our programs and find full-time employment right away or they choose to continue their education.

“April,” a former drug-addicted prostitute, received a certificate of completion and college credit after finishing WCCCD’s customer service training course at DRMM. “We’re learning what our employers expect from us as an employee and how we can move ahead,” she says. “When you’re using (drugs) you don’t think you’re going to amount to anything, you know, and it does seem hopeless; it seems like I’m never going to be able to get ahead and now I have the opportunity to go to school, to get a good job and my life isn’t over, it’s just beginning.”

As a Christian-based organization, it’s our duty to provide food, shelter and treatment for the homeless. But you must still give people the skills that will keep them from reverting to their old lifestyles. We invest in their future by providing the job training and skills necessary to sustain themselves. He or she becomes a better person and a productive citizen in the community. And what does it cost them? Nothing but the willingness to come to DRMM and a willingness to change.

The Many Faces of the Homeless

by Dr. Chad Audi

As Michigan and the nation experience a slumping economy, the face of homelessness is rapidly changing. Long held images of a bearded, dirty panhandler have been replaced with a new reality: laid-off employees and working families living on the streets. Yes, today we see a variety of people who have found themselves with no place to go. They are the new faces of the homeless.

Let’s start with what I call the “working homeless.” A growing number of people with jobs ─ and who may even be enrolled in classes to further advance themselves ─ have found it impossible to live on their salaries. The rising costs of utilities, rent/mortgage, food and gas are more than they can afford, so they lose their homes. They’ve paid their taxes and are productive citizens, but they still face homelessness. The “working homeless” go to shelters for food and sleep, while they hold down low-paying jobs during the day.

Then you have the people who are laid off or fired from their jobs. Perhaps they were already living paycheck to paycheck and without adequate savings or other financial support, they end up on the streets. And sometimes a serious medical condition leads to the loss of a job and sky-high bills that can’t be paid. Unfortunately, we see many families in these situations who come to the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) for shelter and assistance.

And, of course, there are addicted individuals whose dependency has caused them to spend all of their money on drugs and alcohol. They can’t maintain stable lifestyles and as a result become homeless. Despite numerous attempts at substance abuse treatment, many relapse and go back to life on the streets. A high number of the homeless population suffers from a mental illness. They are unable to maintain a home life and with the closure of several mental health institutions they have chosen to live under bridges, on street corners and in cardboard boxes. The situation is much the same with the “chronically” homeless who are comfortable living in abandoned buildings and soliciting people for money.

So as you see, there are a variety of circumstances that can lead to people becoming homeless. And the homeless are human beings just like you and me. Many want to preserve their dignity and respect. That’s what we focus on at the Detroit Rescue Mission; we provide them with quality services, special attention and the help needed to return to their own homes. It’s easier than you think to slip into homelessness, but it’s hard to get your life back without assistance from highly skilled people and caring organizations.

Residency Rule Jeopardizes Funding

By Dr. Chad Audi

The Detroit City Council has decided to postpone the start of a new policy that denies federal Community Development Block Grants and Neighborhood Opportunity Funds to Detroit nonprofit groups whose boards are not made up of at least 51% Detroit residents. The residency requirement will now be revisited by council for next year’s block grant allocation process.

As you can imagine, this controversial “board residency requirement” would have a tremendous impact on organizations that help the disadvantaged in Detroit, like the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM). Under the ordinance, DRMM and more than 100 other nonprofits would be ineligible for the funds. The council’s new vote basically amounts to a one year reprieve for nonprofits. They will have to comply or face a total loss of millions of dollars next year. Not only do the grants provide crucial funding for services, programs, utilities and salaries, but some suburban donors already have indicated they will stop giving to DRMM “if this is how people in Detroit are viewing us.” That response comes as a reaction to the council’s original decision and defense of the requirement. Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins was quoted in the news media as saying that allowing suburbanites to be the majority on nonprofit boards showed a “slave master mentality.”

What difference does it make whether the majority of a nonprofit’s board members are city residents? Part of a board member’s responsibility is to help the charities get money, and they are not paid for the work they do. What truly matters is what’s in their hearts. Can only Detroiters determine the best way to spend money for needy Detroiters? Of course not. It’s the people who need help who will suffer the most from this residency rule. What do you think?

Giving Former Inmates Another Chance

 By Dr. Chad Audi

We’ve all heard the saying, “Everyone deserves another chance.” That’s what some former Michigan inmates are getting through a program called “Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative (MPRI).” Parolees and prisoners who will be released without supervision are placed in the program prior to leaving prison or jail. They get assistance on how to successfully transition back to their communities and receive the resources they need, such as shelter, food, clothing, job skills, transportation and much more. The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) provides its services to help the former inmates integrate back into society, which in turn can lead to a dramatic reduction in recidivism.

“The Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative is the governor’s response to reducing crime and improving safety in the community by eliminating or reducing as best as possible those folks who end up coming in and out of our prison system and better tooling them to return to communities safely and have the skills that they need to transition into their communities and be productive citizens,” said Tamela Aikens, MPRI community coordinator for Wayne and Monroe counties.

Remember, many of these men and women have seen only prison walls for decades. Society has changed a great deal since they’ve been incarcerated. They need help dealing with those changes and getting on with their lives. “Bruce” came to DRMM through the MPRI after spending 26 years in prison. Neighborhoods he frequented had changed, and so had the people he once knew. With nowhere to go, the Detroit Rescue Mission provided Bruce with transitional housing, clothing and food. After numerous rejections from employers, he found a job and is planning to become an entrepreneur. “I feel when a guy’s getting out of prison just give him a shot at the title; it won’t hurt, he’s only human. He did what he did, it’s true, but give him a chance; see what he can do because we all are gifted in some way or another, but all we need is a chance,” said Bruce.

The MPRI collaboration gives Bruce and several other former inmates another chance at becoming productive citizens. That’s extremely critical, especially when you consider the fact that about 5 percent of prisoners in Michigan and across the country die in prison. That leaves 95 percent who come home to the community. If we help those men and women re-integrate into the system, we’ll have a more peaceful and safer society.

Women Getting a Fresh Start

 By Dr. Chad Audi

Prostitution is often referred to as a “non-violent” or “victimless” crime. But the primary victim is the woman who sells her body ─ usually for drugs, alcohol or to just plain survive on the streets. However, lifestyles can be changed. The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) is involved in a groundbreaking rehab program for habitual, drug-addicted prostitutes, aptly called “Project Fresh Start.” Judge Leonia Lloyd of Detroit’s 36th District Court, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Detroit Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment & Recovery administer the program, which offers treatment as an alternative to jail. The goal is for the women to remain drug free, acquire housing and land jobs. Most importantly, Project Fresh Start restores dignity and self-respect and the women become productive citizens of the community. DRMM provides substance abuse treatment, shelter, clothing, food, counseling, education and job skills for women in the program.

What makes a woman turn to prostitution or keep going back to it? Do substance abuse and sex addictions have that tight of a hold on her? Or sometimes is it to earn a little money on the side? Regardless of the reason, it can be overcome. An emphasis must be placed on teaching job skills to the women and furthering their education. Challenge their minds in a positive manner. Let’s face it, in many ways they already are “entrepreneurs” ─ selling a product and making money. They just need to be shown how to use their talents in constructive ways.

One prime example is “Tonyia.” She had a college degree, two children, a husband and a promising career as an addiction counselor when she got caught up in drugs herself. She went through tens of thousands of dollars in just a few months. “Crack has caused me to lose relationships with my family, it also cost me to fall out of fellowship with the Lord, my degree was no good to me whatsoever; it’s unethical for me to counsel and I was drug addicted, so I stopped,” she said. For Tonyia, prostitution offered a way to support her growing drug habit. But since she entered Project Fresh Start and came to DRMM, Tonyia’s life has changed dramatically. She looks forward to returning to her counseling career, and she has made amends with her children.

Project Fresh Start is part of Detroit’s successful Drug Treatment Court. Helping people overcome their drug addiction saves lives and reunites families. “One of the benefits of Drug Court is that when you graduate, your misdemeanors that are under the program are all dismissed. So you walk out with a clean record, hopefully with a new trade, a new education. We’ve got some ladies that go to college . . . we’ve got those that finish culinary art programs and other training programs; it depends on what their interest is. But the bottom line is to start living,” said Judge Lloyd.

Drug Court is holding its 10th annual rally on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. at Detroit’s Hart Plaza. The rally will be preceded by a press conference at 10:30 a.m.  The public event will include food, fun and entertainment.  Why not show up to support Judge Leonia J. Lloyd, the Drug Court team and the life-changing miracles occurring at 36th District Court.

Coming Back, Giving Back

By Dr. Chad Audi 

What can happen when you give someone who has failed ─ sometimes in a big way ─ a chance to be trusted again with the responsibility to serve others? I’d like to tell you about some volunteers who have gone through substance abuse treatment and housing programs for the homeless at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM). They are giving back through their volunteer work at Finney High School.

These are men and women who have wrestled with criminal behavior, addiction or homelessness – sometimes with all three. Through the generosity of supporters of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, they found the time and opportunity to become whole again. Instead of going forward with their lives without looking back at lessons learned, they have chosen to reach out and serve others in their community. Thanks to Finney High School Principal Alvin Ward, they have been given a leadership role in helping high school students. “They patrol school halls, report students in the hallways after the bell rings, encourage the students to be in class on time, and act as mentors by listening and sharing their experiences with the students so they can encourage them not to follow a negative path in life. They have helped create a better learning environment,” he said.

The results have been dramatic for everyone who has taken a chance on the volunteer project. Violence has been dramatically reduced, and teachers are able to teach students without disturbances sidetracking the educational programs. Finney High School recently achieved its first marking period in which the student body’s grade point average reached the 2.0 + grade point level, due in part to the involvement of DRMM’s volunteers. The students appreciate them: “They are very serious about seeing that students get to class, even though they are volunteers,” says A’daisha Pickett. Johnathan Murff says “99% of the students are in class now.” The volunteers themselves have benefited from their participation. Mark Williams says, “It has enhanced my awareness and allowed me to grow up in a sense. I can share with the students the price I’ve paid to do what I’ve done and how it affects me as an adult.” Denise Jensen adds, “I’m showing that I care about them; that they are not just kids. They are our future. My biggest statement to them is they don’t want to be 51 years old and living at a mission.”

These volunteers are making a real difference for the next generation. Because they have known and used every trick in the book and really care about the students at Finney High, they can be more effective than well-intentioned but inexperienced volunteers.

These are men and women who have learned from their history and learned to take responsibility for their history. To do their part, leaders in the community ─ like Principal Ward ─ must believe that people can change. Then they must offer those who have worked hard to prove themselves meaningful opportunities to give back to their community, standing by, supporting and encouraging them. When this happens, miracles can happen. Just like the miracles at Finney High School.