HOMELESSNESS
Did you know? On any given day, there are 7,500 people in metro Atlanta who will wake up without a place to call home. That’s why we are working hard to help homeless people get housed within one year. We want to end chronic homelessness, not simply manage it. With that in mind, we provide housing that is connected to support services such as case management.
Vets Connect: Julia Kelly’s Story
With a down economy, the face of homelessness is changing. Finishing high school, graduating college, serving in the military and a 20-year career did not save Julia Kelly from being homeless. Without a job and a limited severance package, Kelly could no longer pay her rent and resorted to living with friends. That’s when she learned about Vets Connect. Vets Connect introduced her to Another Chance, which helped her with housing and the Gateway Center which gave her clothes, food and even employment training resources. “The program gave me some hope and dignity in what I was going through.” she says. Now Kelly lives in her own apartment and is going to school at Beulah Heights University for religious studies. She volunteers at her church working with women and is on the Peers Reaching Out (PRO) Team working to help other homeless individuals get off the streets. “Now I feel peaceful and settled,” she says, “I’m glad I never lost hope.” For more information on Vets Connect, click here.
With a down economy, the face of homelessness is changing. Finishing high school, graduating college, serving in the military and a 20-year career did not save Julia Kelly from being homeless. Without a job and a limited severance package, Kelly could no longer pay her rent and resorted to living with friends. That’s when she learned about Vets Connect. Vets Connect introduced her to Another Chance, which helped her with housing and the Gateway Center which gave her clothes, food and even employment training resources. “The program gave me some hope and dignity in what I was going through.” she says. Now Kelly lives in her own apartment and is going to school at Beulah Heights University for religious studies. She volunteers at her church working with women and is on the Peers Reaching Out (PRO) Team working to help other homeless individuals get off the streets. “Now I feel peaceful and settled,” she says, “I’m glad I never lost hope.” For more information on Vets Connect,
Find out more about the many programs United Way of Greater Atlanta offers by visiting their website.
