Edmund's Story

(This is a speech given by Edmund, who receives services from our Supported Living Services program. Supported Living Services helps persons with disabilities to live independently).

My name is Edmund and I am 64 years old. I was born and raised right here in New Orleans.

I lived with my mother for most of my life. When my mother passed away, I needed help. I needed transportation to buy food and I needed help to do that. I needed someone to get me to the doctor for my appointments. I needed someone to help me buy clothes. I needed a place to live. I found Volunteers of America.

That was fifteen years ago. I first lived in one of Volunteers of America’s Community Homes. It was nice there. They cooked for us, cleaned for us and provided me with transportation everywhere I needed to go.

After a while, I wanted to live in my own apartment, so the staff at Volunteers of America helped me. I found a nice apartment in Metairie and I really liked it....but when Hurricane Katrina hit, my apartment was flooded.

Volunteers of America helped me find another apartment. This apartment is really nice - it's also in Metairie.

Felicia, my personal care assistant with Volunteers of America, stays with me on Saturday and Sunday. Nikida stays with me from 7 at night until 7 in the morning.

Paul is with me from 7 in the morning until 7 at night. Paul is really more like family to me. We go to Barnes and Noble, lunch at Applebees (I like their hamburgers), and the Metairie Senior Center to play cards. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have Volunteers of America….or Paul. I love Paul like a brother.

I like to read. I have a subscription to Sports Illustrated. The Saints, of course, are my favorite football team, but my favorite quarterback is Big Ben with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sorry, Drew!

I am a happy man and I have a good life. Thanks to Volunteers of America, I am able to live independently in my own apartment. And I am blessed to have great people help me to do that. I’m proud of who I am and I am proud to stand here and tell you about my life and how Volunteers of America has helped me.

Thank you for coming tonight and thank you for supporting Volunteers of America. It's because of people like you that I am able to stand here and talk about how blessed I am.

May God Bless You All.