Stories

Meet Jared Bard – a veteran Air Force air traffic controller of 8 years, a father, an electrician in training and a resident at our Home For The Brave shelter. Home For The Brave is designed to provide our veterans with supportive housing and supportive services with the goal of helping them to achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and/or income, and obtain greater self-determination. According to his case manager, Ms. Sandra Coursen, Jared exemplifies the determination and progress towards his future that Home For The Brave is intended to assist with. After putting himself through tech school to…

The clients at our Aletha R. Wright “Vision of Hope” Center have a lot to think about – finding employment, obtaining identification, meeting their case management goals and their path to permanent housing. Their physical health can often be an afterthought, or considered not as important as taking the next steps toward independent living. D’Yani Kelly, the facility’s Community Health Worker, and Nichole Phillips, the Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, are there to make sure that is not the case. Ms. Kelly describes her main responsibility as assisting any client that comes to Aletha Wright with any type of medical need….

We recently announced the launch of the New Jersey Reentry Council at the New Jersey County Jail Wardens Association Conference in Atlantic City. Funded by Pew Charitable Trusts, the Council is designed to bring together reentry stakeholders across disciplines throughout the state to share best practices, resources and overcome barriers. With the unique expertise offered by each member, the New Jersey Reentry Council will be a resource for stakeholders to ensure those we serve are afforded every opportunity for short and long term stabilization pre and post release. We are hopeful that combined efforts through the Council will enhance an…

“I hope to keep doing the work that positively changes the lives of people while making sure the organization I’m working for has the greatest impact.” – Stephen A. Shultz, May 2017 This quote defines Steve’s valued service to Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, and will now serve as a reminder to everyone who enters our Collingswood office. On September 20, 2022 the VOADV team was honored to dedicate the building to former staff member, Stephen A. Shultz, in honor of his invaluable contributions to the organization. Over 11 years, Steve served as Chief of Staff, Senior Vice President for…

According to Deloitte’s 2022 back-to-school survey, parents plan to spend an average of $661 per child on back-to-school shopping so their student is prepared for a year of educational success. In fact, according to Deloitte, back-to-school shopping is the second largest annual expense for families after the holidays. There is no question that having the required supplies is important for a student – being prepared to take on another year of school with the right tools in hand can be a game changer. However, when a family is living paycheck to paycheck, children learn to make do with what they have…

We serve over 400 seniors at VOADV, and the dedicated members of our Supportive Housing Department go above and beyond every day to make sure they are receiving compassion and respect. Shaunta Majette is one of those people. A Social Service Coordinator at Lindenwold Towers, one of our housing communities for income-qualified seniors, Shaunta works every day to help her clients succeed physically, financially and emotionally. Whether it is help with a benefits program application, assistance obtaining furniture for their apartment, or even a pep talk when they’re feeling down, Shaunta is there for them. A day in the life of…

At VOADV, our team members use their unique stories and experiences to serve clients with both kindness and skill every day. Victor Hayes is the Senior Housing Coordinator for our Safe Return and Navigator programs. This entails serving multiple counties and overseeing housing services that take place at Navigational Resource Centers in Atlantic City, Bridgeton, Camden and Trenton. Mr. Hayes works closely with his staff of housing coordinators to secure both temporary and permanent housing for some of our communities’ most vulnerable individuals. There is no typical day in the life for our housing team. When an individual needs services, VOADV meets them where…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant impact and presented at times overwhelming challenges, but VOADV staff worked harder than ever to provide essential support and protection for our communities and clients. We are grateful that our focus can now turn to expanding the innovative services born out of those challenges, and ensuring that there are no barriers to our clients accessing them. This is possible in part thanks to a $500,000 grant from Congressman Donald Norcross through the Funding for the People Act. The funds will be used to increase telehealth capacity at our shelter sites so men, women, children,…

125 years of service certainly calls for a celebration, and for the past year, we have been doing just that. As Volunteers of America’s 125th anniversary approached on March 8, we knew we wanted to highlight and thank the people that make it all possible: our incredible staff. They serve every day with compassion, and deserve to be thanked for helping build our legacy for the next 125 years. The celebration started with a cupcake delivery to each of our 40 programs on our anniversary day. Every single staff member would be able to enjoy a delicious treat from a local…

“You make it possible.” This is the theme of our 125th anniversary and an undisputed fact throughout all of VOADV’s programs. Our incredible staff are the ones who make everything we do possible, serving each day with compassion and dedication. Every member of the VOADV family has a story and a unique perspective in their role. Meet Karen Gilliam – a VOADV team member for 11 years, and the Integrated Services Supporting Independence (ISSI) Office Manager for the past eight. ISSI is a residential program for individuals diagnosed with a mental illness that provides case management, treatment, rehabilitation, and community reintegration….