Homeless Now Have Advocates, Shelter

by Casey Willis, Messenger Intern

Most of us are fortunate to have never been without a home for an extended period of time. Someone who has not been in that situation can only imagine the life-altering effects it can have. Franklin County and the surrounding areas have a large number of people who have experienced homelessness.

About three years ago, a small group of people set up shop in the Franklin County Courthouse with a mission to “provide both individuals and families with transitional housing while networking with other agencies to obtain permanent housing.” Known as the Almost Home Transitional Housing Program, this nonprofit organization has no paid staff, with 100 percent of workers volunteering without pay.

In 2014, Almost Home already has received more than 1,000 calls for assistance.

Betty Pinkerton, a board member of Almost Home, said during an interview, “We just want to help people who find themselves unable to provide shelter for themselves and/or their families. We are just now beginning to recover from some very difficult economic times, and folks are finding it harder to afford what they need.”

The search for places to live for homeless people is the major focus of Almost Home. They do so by meeting with families by appointment, as well as by responding to emergency situations. They also help by looking beyond a place to live: helping people find employment and developing the necessary skills to sustain homes and jobs, as well as provide assistance for substance and alcohol abuse patients.

Almost Home recently purchased a duplex as a temporary housing option for families in the area. This facility broadens the group’s ability to assist families locally, while still being able to offer aid to individuals and families stretching out to Chattanooga and Nashville. The high volume of calls for help in 2014 has surprised everyone.

“It is overwhelming the number of homeless individuals and families in Franklin County who are trying to find jobs and provide for themselves and their families but do not have the resources to even get started,” said County Mayor Richard Stewart.

“Almost Home and the homeless shelter being constructed will help those people, and that is remarkable,” he said.

This program, Stewart said, “is an invaluable asset to our community and the proof is not only in the numbers but also their mission. The organization assisted approximately 591 homeless individuals last year and provided 723 critical needs services, including emergency motel stays, utility assistance to prevent homelessness and food to feed the hungry due to extreme cold weather resulting in higher-than- average utility bills. Not only does Almost Home provide these services; their ultimate goal is to successfully place people in full-time employment and in permanent housing through skills training.”

According to the Franklin County Community Assessment, housing ranked second on the list of top community needs in Franklin County in 2012, following only the mental health and substance abuse category.

Being a not-for-profit organization, Almost Home raises its support from individual donors, churches, the Franklin County United Way and the Chattanooga Homeless Coalition. Almost Home also holds special events to raise money and awareness of the issue of being homeless.

A benefit concert featuring local talent, as well as country music star Jimmy Wayne, will be on Saturday, Nov. 22 at North Middle School in Decherd. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the entertainment begins at 7 p.m. Concessions will be available, and a silent auction will be held. General admission tickets are $10 per person; floor seats are $20.

The work done by Almost Home Transitional Housing has lessened the number of homeless citizens in Franklin County and the surrounding areas, as well as increased the number of the employed. With Almost Home continuing to grow, citizens in unfortunate situations can be confident that they will have a place to turn for assistance.

For more information, contact Pinkerton by email to <pinkerbee@gmail.com> or <almost.home.thp@gmail.com>, or go to the Almost Home website <almosthomethp.org>. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 906, Winchester, TN 37398.