January 2012

www.ourhouseshelter.org 302 E Roosevelt Rd; Little Rock, AR

One of our alumni expresses her gratitude in a poem.

Georgia reflects on Our House’s first 25 years: Part 1 of 3

A Boy Scout chooses Our House for his Eagle project.

Meet two of our 47 team members in each issue.

See our photos of the holidays at Our House.

Our clients get a chance to give.

A single dad finds Our House just in time.

Shop for unique items at My Favorite Thrift Store.

Clean out your coat closet and help the working homeless.

newsletter design & all photos by Amanda Woods, an Our House VISTA,

© Amanda Woods 2011, except pg 5 & cover 1 & 7 from the Our House archives

Katie & Sadé finish their internship semester.

New windows, doors, & walls make rooms bright & efficient.

Georgia Mjartan

As we celebrate the beginning of Our House’s 25th year, I have been reflecting on the values and principles on which this organization was built. What strikes me most is how true to our mission we have stayed through all of these years, how our purpose and the people we are here to serve have remained steadfast, and how the key elements that made Our House unique in its founding in 1987 continue into the present day. In the coming months, I hope to follow a few of these chords and to listen as they play out over the arc of our history.

A Broad Base of Support from a Diverse Community Committed to a Common Mission Twenty-five years ago, a diverse group of community members representing a wide variety of religious beliefs—Protestants, Catholics, and Jews—came together in the living room of Mimi Dortch in response to a troubling phenomenon. When families became homeless, they were broken apart. Of the two shelters in Little Rock, neither provided a home for whole families.

Also, these homeless people—who were willing and able to work—were not given the time or resources to get on their feet, to really find stability. A lot was missing in our community when it came to ending people’s homelessness.

These volunteers’ feelings of responsibility were inspired by their shared mandate to serve the poor, orphans, and widows. Many of these people were leaders in their respective congregations. They saw that the work they were doing separately through food pantries and soup kitchens were not transforming the people who came. These efforts were only meeting a short-term need. They wanted to make a lasting and transformative impact on these homeless men, women, and children.

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Our House was the first shelter in Little Rock to provide a home for whole families. early ’90s photo from the Our House photo archive

Together this group of very different people, building on their common calling, created Our House. The model of community and of collective responsibility for the “least among us” that they demonstrated in those early days continues today. Twenty-five years later, supporters include Baptists, Buddhists, Catholics, Church of Christ, Episcopals, Free-Thinkers, Jews, Lutherans, Methodists, Muslims, Non-Denominational Chris-tians, Presbyterians, Unitarians, and people of no religion at all. United States Congressman Tim Griffin and Former Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker have both spent time in the Our House kitchen preparing and serving dinner to the residents of The Shelter. Former United States Senator Blanche Lincoln, the Tea Party of Arkansas, and the Pulaski County Democratic Party have all donated to Our House. Our House has received formal, written commendations from President George H. W. Bush and President Bill Clinton hon-

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oring our innovative and comprehensive approach to the complex issue of homelessness. I believe that this broad base of support is something unique and par-ticularly valuable about Our House. There are some very practical implications. When people are in a time of crisis, often the first place they turn for help is their place of worship. The fact that over 40 different places of worship are actively involved with Our House gives us an incredibly wide-reaching and organic way to connect with those in need. Another significant result of having such a wide variety of local supporters is that Our House has been able to weather a number of financial storms. We have been able not only to thrive but grow during times of economic distress through reliance on volunteers and on many hundreds of individuals and groups giving relatively small amounts of money. Together, this support adds up to allow us to meet growing needs in the most efficient ways. The people we serve come from all different backgrounds. Because of how Our House was formed and who supports it today, this continues to be a place where all people feel welcome. We hope you will join this very diverse community of people who believe that every person should have a chance to get on their feet—a place to get back up and rebuild their lives. If your New Year’s resolution involved giving back or getting involved, I urge you to consider becoming a part of our community of supporters. Please feel free to e-mail me about getting connected: [email protected].

United States Congressman Tim Griffin serves dinner with family & friends in 2010.

Mary Brown was a resident at Our House for a year and a half in 2004 and 2005. She was a nurse and is now a published poet. She sent us this poem that she published in 2009. She dedicates it to Jessie Turner Goodrum, Don Rhea, Cassandra Hilton, Pete Matousek, Darlene Wilson, and Robert Pillow; to those who gave donations; and to those who came to Our House to serve.

I wasn’t going to let that happen. I was in foster care as a kid. I never got adopted because nobody wanted a kid like me. My parents taught me to steal when I was really little. I wasn’t going to let that happen to my sons. I’m all they have. There are no places for dads and their kids. Everything is set up for mothers. Everywhere I called told me that. The day that DHS was going to take my kids was the day I got into Our House. I sent my two older boys to school, and then my little one and I waited outside for two hours until we could get a ride to Our House. He helped me load up all our stuff and we got over here.

Robert and his youngest son, Malachi, get haircuts in the Family House by volunteers from Kristi-Kuts.

by Amber Hood, Volunteer Relations VISTA

Parker Davidson and his family and friends from Catholic High School built a new pergola for Our House’s Family House. Parker, a Boy Scout from Troop 29 of Christ the King Catholic Church, led the project to earn his Eagle rank. The pergola provides a wonderful shady sitting area near the garden for our residents to enjoy. It’s a great spot to sit and watch the sun rise, and we are already excited about hosting some barbecues under the pergola this spring.

Our House’s kids and adults

had an active holiday season

filled with decorating, parties,

gifts, sugar-filled goodies, fun

volunteers, generous donors,

and two surprise visits from

everyone’s favorite friend from

the North Pole!

Click here to see our holiday photos.

Every winter I count on a few things to get me into the holiday spirit, namely movies. It is not Christmas until I see Charlie Brown fighting his way back to the heart of the holiday or cheer Kevin on as he protects his home and realizes that it’s all about family and others. This year, however, I was inspired through my work as we organized a Learning Center party. We decided to center it on caroling at a local nursing home and ran the idea by some of our students. They loved it. As they signed up for solos what started as a typical holiday became a day of giving back. Still doubtful about involvement, Lara, Education and Workforce VISTA, worried that none of the students would show. Many have full time employment and family obligations that take priority; others weren’t convinced they had anything to give back. One evening during supper, we decided to invite all Learning Center students to participate in our holiday outing if they were able. As we made our rounds chatting with residents, Lara came to me elated. She had just learned that our students, on their own, had organized an after-dinner rehearsal. Their empowerment, proactive spirits, and teamwork made my chest swell with pride. These are the qualities we touch on daily in the Learning Center, and to see our residents employ the skills made me want to champion them from the rooftops. On the day of our caroling, everyone buzzed with excitement. We piled into cars and made our way to the nursing home where we were greeted with the warmest welcome. As we made our way through familiar tunes, I looked around the room and realized how fortunate I was to stand witness to such a beautiful display of true Christmas spirit. This season, no Charlie Brown was needed.

by Michelle Salgado, Learning Center Manager

Shirley, one of the Learning Center singers, accepts her holiday gift in The Shelter.

Shirley, one of the Learning Center singers, accepts her holiday gift in The Shelter.

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On Eric: Leather Jacket $29.99 Shirt $4.50 Guitar & Amp $49.99 On Tyler: Jacket $24.99 Hat $2.99 Records $3 each

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benefitting Our House

109 N. Van Buren St. Little Rock 353-0642

4606 JFK Blvd. North Little Rock 246-5741

Pick-up is available for furniture donations.

Eric Schneider Housing & Alumni Relations VISTA

Our House Tyler Amm Campus Improvement VISTA Our House

hometown Little Rock, AR education English BA, Lyon College Our House staff since November 2010

Many people inspire me. Two are Maximilian Kolbe & Flannery O’Conner. (Google them!) Another is my grandpa, Edmund Gangluff. Somehow he is both the toughest & gentlest person I know.

I’m a lucky girl to have amazing friends who listen to my ram-bling anecdotes, let me hog both arm rests at the movies, & are always up for a spontaneous canoe trip, karaoke night, or bike ride. I try to waste time with them as much as possible.

Never forget that we belong to each other.

A dentist/flight attendant who performed in the circus on weekends.

I serve as a hub for people in the community who are inter-ested in volunteering & for our staff as they try to find volun-teers to fill specific needs. My favorite part, though, is devel-oping service learning curricu-lum for high school volunteers.

I’ve always been very passionate about issues of social justice, but since beginning work at Our House, my perceptions of home-lessness have really changed. I better understand the realities people living in homelessness face every day & am more determined to see homelessness in Little Rock become a thing of the past.

You know all those weird gadgets & machines in eye clinics? Yep, I cleaned those.

I am very active in my grand-children’s lives & am a member of Central AR Corvette Club. These are some of my very best friends, & we are always looking for a reason to get together & have lots of fun.

I probably spend too much time playing spades on the internet.

I had a lot of dolls, & I also spent a lot of time playing jacks & hopscotch & riding my bike.

To be honest & truthful.

Happiness & health for all of my family.

Most days are a lot of fun. I enjoy meeting & working with the students. I am happy to see them excited when they find a new job.

I worked 10 years at a LR bank, 10 years as a school secretary, & 15 years in real estate before coming to Our House. I have enjoyed this job the most.

Retired & spending time with my family & friends. I hope to travel, especially to my favorite vacation spot in Florida.

My parents. They taught me right from wrong & the value of hard work & honesty. I miss them a lot. I feel very lucky to have had them for my parents.

hometown North Little Rock, AR education Elementary Education BS, UALR family husband Jerry; daughters Julie & Shay; 5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren Our House staff since September 2008

by Katie Chambliss, Youth Programs Intern

As a senior in the Bachelors of Social Work program at UALR, I was given the opportunity to intern at Our House in the youth program. For five months now, I have worked with the youth in Our Club, the after-school program, as well as with some of their parents. Working with this group has provided experiences that have not only benefitted my education but me personally. The kids have taught me about the importance of looking beneath the surface and seeing value in an individual’s personality and life experi-ences. Working alongside Katy Grennier, the Youth Programs Coordinator, and Megan Corbett, the Youth Programs AmeriCorps member, has multiplied the benefits of my experience. They have challenged me and taught the value of never giving up on anyone but pursuing others with a compassionate heart. I’ve been blessed by the opportunity to serve my internship at Our House. I cannot wait to be back for another semester!

by Sadé Daniels, Case Management Intern

As a case management intern at Our House, I’ve been working under Ty Stacey, and the experience has been wonderful. During my time here, I’ve been able to increase my inter-viewing skills by assessing new residents, assist in curriculum development for resident courses

and programs, and build on my ability to gather resources. It’s amazing to see how so many people with tremendous talents work together to make Our House work to optimum efficiency. One of the most amazing parts of working here was being able to put to use the theories and models I’ve learned as a social work student at Philander Smith College. By doing a myriad of assessments, I was able to use the ecosystems model in seeing how various parts of one’s environment affected their way of thinking and living. As I listened to the heartbreaking stories of some of the residents, I was able to assist in pulling positive attributes out of them. It was in a reflection session with Ty that I realized how much I was using the knowledge I’d gathered in class. I’ll always be grateful to Our House and the experiences I’ve had here both as a Summer Youth Programs VISTA and as a Case Management Intern. Both have done a great deal in preparing me for work in an organization serving at-risk populations.

The Our House Education Building underwent a major renovation as 2011 came to a close. Broken doors that didn’t close were replaced with new ones that have windows and safety locks. There are no more dark hallways where children can’t be seen by staff, and our classrooms stay warm and draft-free in the winter months. A new hallway connects the Our Club after-school space with the rest of the building. Where children used to have to walk outside to get to the rest-room, they now have an indoor route. Spaces that used to be dark now have natural light streaming through new windows. Speech and occupational therapists no longer meet with children in the middle of the kitchen. They have a designated, private meeting room. Adult students test in a quiet space. Staff offices are separate from children’s play areas. Thanks to PDC Construction and Jaime Gardner at CIRB Services for doing such a fabulous job on this project and completing it in record time (3 weeks), allowing us to get our kids’ space back in time for the winter break.

by Georgia Mjartan, Executive Director

before after

Removed walls & an added window make Our Club bigger & brighter. With a new hallway, kids don’t have to go outside to get to the kitchen or restrooms on the other side of the building.

Hagan Archer & Howell Taylor Hagan & Howell celebrated their birthdays with a party on December 3rd. They asked their guests to bring presents for Our House kids instead of gifts for the birthday boys. They brought about 30 new toys for our kids.

Fellowship Bible Church Lea Angel Woodham collected diapers from her Bible Study Class at Fellowship Bible Church.

Coat Drives Three businesses had December coat drives for Our House: Ben E. Keith Burlington Coat Factory Crye-Leike Reality Office in Maumelle

Kristi-Kuts Volunteers from Kristi-Kuts came to give adults and kids free haircuts in the Family House.

Delta Trust Malina Vibhakar, with Delta Trust, collected gloves for our residents during a Christmas party.

Little Rock Christian Elementary The 2nd & 4th graders collected gifts and adopted a family for the holidays.

Zadie chooses a new short hair style from Kristi-Cuts.

Individuals Mary Aitken Kay & H. William Allen Sonya & Arthur Anderson Anonymous Donor Amy & Hamlin Au Laurie & Kris Bertelsen Alyssa Biscomb Janna Bishop Patsy Booth William Brackenridge Frances Buchanan Susan & George Chambers Marsha Clayton Rachel & Jake Commer Anita Anthony Davis Edna & Fred Edick Anthony Evans Dan Farley Rachel Favori Jennifer & Brian Fritts Tanya D. Giles Margery Goss Jeffrey Hanson Kenneth W. Harp Betty & Charles Hathaway Kimberly & David Henning Carolyn Hillman Sarah & Theodore Hood Lisa Hill & Mary Howell Nancy Huckabay Amanda Hughes Susan Hunter Sandy & Eugene Jones

Laura & Woody Juels Mrs. Frank Kumpuris Mary & James Lammers Robin Lawrence Daniel Lysk Mrs. & Mr. John Malak Lee Ann & R.H. Matson Alicia McAlister Peggy & Michael McKinney Lynn & M.C. McSpadden Marsha & Ronald Meyers Michael Moore & Mark Rowe William Moore Cathy & Michael Moran Thomas F. Navin Judy & David Nelsen Daryl Newcomb Julie & Jon Newsum Marian & Charles Nichols Wyckliff Nisbet L.R. & G.A. Norton Beth Page Denise & Shannon Palmer Angela Pattillo Elizabeth & David Powell Shana Ricks Evelyn Rose Ashley & Elisa Ross Jean & Doyle Shook Harryette Shue Diana & Jack Smithson Robyn & Jason Stewart Robbie Thomas-Knight

Dorothy & R.F. Toll Bridget & Andrew Upchurch Jana & Christopher Villemez R.A. Walker Jonathan Watford Mary & Ed Willis Hardy Winburn Robert M. Winter Congregations Cathedral of St. Andrew Christ the King Catholic Church Church of the Immaculate Conception First Presbyterian Church of NLR Our Lady of Holy Souls Catholic Church Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church St. Anne Catholic Church St. James United Methodist Church St. Marks Foundation United Methodist Women— Jacksonville United Methodist Women— Marmaduke

Corporations 4square Café & Gifts ATC Scientific Green Cuisine Kutak Rock LLP Lax, Vaughan, Fortson, Jones, & Rowe, P.A. Neal Advertising Agency Inc. Southwest Power Pool Government AR Special Nutrition Program DHS—Emergency Shelter Grant HUD: Supportive Housing HUD: Transitions Pulaski County State of Arkansas Organizations & Foundations AR School Boards Associations Blue & You Foundation Central AR AACN Chapter Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Inc. GE Foundation Heart of Arkansas United Way Little Rock Christian Academy TJX Foundation

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