Ben's Poem

Ben is a resident of our Veterans' Transitional Housing program, which provides housing, job training, support services and more to homeless veterans. Click here to watch a testimonial he gave us about his experiences at Volunteers of America. Below is a poem he wrote entitled "Homeless Walk the Streets".








"Homeless Walk the Streets"

DAY & NIGHT HOMELESS WALK THE STREETS

MANIC-DEPRESSIVES, SCHIZOPHRENICS IN SHEETS

SOME LOOKING FOR A HANDOUT!

OTHERS, WONDER WHAT IT’S ABOUT?

SOME HAVE FALLEN, MOSTLY, AGAINST THEIR WILL

OTHERS, WILL GO LOWER & LOWER STILL

“THERE’S A FINE LINE BETWEEN GENIUS AND INSANITY”***

TO LATE TO WORRY ABOUT THINGS SUCH AS VANITY

WHAT TO DO? WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

TIRED OF THE DRUGS, THE LIQUOR & THE BEER

SOME LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE, A BETTER WAY!

OTHERS, WONDER IF THEY’LL SEE THE NEXT DAY?

SOME LOOK AT THE HOMELESS AS IF THEIR DIRT

OTHERS, KNOW THE HOMELESS FEEL & HURT

WHAT OF THE CHILDREN, THE LAME & THE SICK

DO WE CHASE THEM AWAY, OR HIT E’M WITH A STICK?

WHAT IF IT WAS YOUR BROTHER, SISTER OR YOU?

THEN WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

SOME LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION, A WAY BACK!

OTHERS, WONDER IF THEY CAN RECOVER FROM CRACK?

SOME WANT TO BELIVE THERE’S ANOTHER CHANCE

OTHERS, WANT TO SEEK HELP, BUT LOOK ASKANCE

MOST HOMELESS WANT SOMETHING, FOOD OR MONEY

STILL SOME YEARN FOR THE LOST LAND OF ‘MILK & HONEY’

THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE WILL’N TO GIVE LOVE,

TO UNDERSTAND, TO EMPATHIZE, TO BE A FRIEND

BUT STILL THE HOMELESS LOOK, WONDER & YEARN

SOME LOOKING TO BE UNDERSTOOD, FOR LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

OTHERS, WONDER IF ANYONE CARES, IF THERE IS A GOD?

***“There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line” -OSCAR LEVANT

Hollywood's Story

Ronald, known as “Hollywood” to his friends, is a Gentilly native and Army veteran with a big smile and exuberant spirit. Ronald led a happy life before Hurricane Katrina. A proud homeowner in St. Bernard Parish, he had a good job with Shell, managing the company’s largest oil rig in the Gulf. He was also the patriarch of a proud, happy family.

Katrina hit, and brought with it flood waters 28 feet deep – enough to make the house across the street from Ronald's “look like it was hit by a bomb”. He’s only recently begun to open up about the seven days he spent stranded atop his home in Violet – “helicopters passed me every day…CNN got footage of me swimming…but no one came to help”. Ronald was finally rescued and treated in Austin, TX, but was “covered in snake bites, had suffered a minor stroke, and doctors told me I might never walk again”.

The storm gradually took away everything Ronald had. After making a full recovery from his injuries, he returned to a wrecked home, no job, and a marriage that had begun to falter. He fell into a deep depression and struggled to rebuild his life.

Ronald contacted Veterans’ Affairs, but was placed on a waiting list. While he waited patiently for things to improve, he moved in with a friend, which he recalls as difficult – “it didn’t work out”. Finally, in November 2010, VA connected him with Volunteers of America, where he was given a chance for a fresh start at our Napoleon Avenue facility. “It’s been a positive experience”, says Ronald. “The Napoleon Avenue facility is a safe, secure environment with lots of resources for veterans”. He also praises the facility for its familial environment, and it’s pretty clear that he’s well-loved by fellow residents, who always greet him with an enthusiastic “Hollywood!” and joke amiably with him.

If it weren’t for Volunteers of America, a homeless shelter is where this proud, hard-working New Orleans native says he would be. Now, with our help, he’s working on building up strength to return to work at Shell. Volunteers of America has given him the tools Ronald needs to rebuild the life taken from under him by the storm.

Click here to watch Ronald's testimonial.

Louisiana's Veterans' Affairs Honors Our Veterans

On Friday, October 30, four residents of our Veteran’s Transitional Housing, James Parker, Bill Bailey, Ronald LeBlanc, and William Thompson (pictured left to right in between Case Manager Christopher Randall and Veterans Program Director Randolph Macabitas), received awards at a ceremony hosted by the State of Louisiana’s Veterans’ Affairs department. In attendance at the event was Gov. Bobby Jindal, who spoke and handed out awards to veterans. Our Veterans' Transitional Housing helps homeless veterans rebuild their lives by providing housing, job training, support services, and more. Congratulations James, Bill, Ronald & William, and thank you for your service to our country!

New Veterans' Services Director

A big welcome to our new Veterans' Services Director, Mr. Randolph Macabitas. Randolph comes to us after a distinguished career in the United States military, serving in various capacities. Welcome to Volunteers of America, Randolph!