Human Relations Award - Community Relations Council, City of Hickory
May 2004
Hickory Community Relations Council
2004 Community Relations Award
Exodus Homes is a six-year-old private non-profit faith based United Way agency providing 80 beds of supportive housing for recovering addicts, alcoholics, and ex-offenders in six locations in Hickory. After overcoming initially strong opposition to the establishment of their program, today Exodus Homes’ success is known all the way to the White House. Our organization is the quintessential example of how a visionary leader can marshal the forces of local volunteers and create a program that helps bring fallen people from their disgrace into a life of dignity and service.
Rev. Reggie Longcrier, founder and Executive Director of Exodus Homes saw that people leaving substance abuse treatment centers and prison had nowhere to go and nothing to do when they got there. He knew from personal experience that people need support to rebuild their lives after losing everything due to addiction or incarceration. Drug addition and alcoholism plague our community across racial lines and socio-economic classes, and the resident population of Exodus Homes is a uniquely diverse recovery community. It is an extraordinary mix of people from college graduates to those with little education, from those whose fall from grace was riches to rags, and other who have never know anything but poverty. In 2004, the average resident population has been 66% African-American, 28% White, and 6% other races. The Exodus Homes recovery community is an ongoing cross-cultural training project where diverse people learn about each other and find ways to live together in peace.
The residents themselves who serve in full and part time volunteer staff positions primarily operate Exodus Homes. The management of the program is self-government in its truest form. Residents run the office, provide transportation, maintain the facilities and vehicles, as well as help shape and evolve the program. Exodus Homes makes room for the diverse gifts and talents of those who come, and our motto is “The only thing about Exodus that will never change is the fact that we’ll always be changing.” The Exodus community as a subculture is fluid and ever changing based on the personalities and gifts of those who reside and work here. The staff is primarily groomed from within the resident pool by leadership development that produces a diverse team of players via a mentor/apprentice training process. Today the staff team is 73% African-American and 27% White, 76% volunteer, 24% paid, 76% residents, 24% non-residents. Every day is an exercise in improving human relations at Exodus Homes!
The agency is affiliated with Exodus Missionary Outreach Church that created the organization to carry out the mission of the church. The church is a nondenominational multi-ethnic ministry that provides opportunities for spiritual growth and service to all residents of Exodus Homes as soon as they arrive. Residents are encouraged to grow spiritually in the faith of their choice, and Rev. Longcrier says “We live out our Jesus by respecting all faith groups.” Tolerance of, and appreciation for, religious differences is highly valued. Agnostics, atheists, and those who just aren’t interested in faith -based activities are given an option to participate in other programs that are equally valuable to their recovery. Exodus Homes residents can find God in a way that works for them.
The six housing facilities and the church are located in four Hickory neighborhoods, making its impact widespread across the city. Exodus has a presence in the Ridgeview, Green Park, Kenworth, and Highland neighborhoods. The agency is appreciated for what it brings to each community. Exodus Homes’ residents who were initially feared by local neighborhoods are now seen as assets to the community, and are called upon for help. “Can you send some residents to the next neighborhood clean-up?” “Do you have anyone who can help me move?” or “Help! Heavy rain is causing my living room to flood! Can you send some men to get my furniture up on blocks?” The Hickory Police Department, the Hickory Community Development Department, and the Hickory Neighborhood Coordinator all praise the positive impact the program has had in neighborhoods all over the city. Human relations are significantly improved when people who were once feared are now your neighbors with faces and names you know. People who once felt rejected and thrown away now feel valuable and needed. Exodus Homes’ residents and staff help bring people together for healing and restoration.
The tremendous success in the growth of the Exodus Homes over the past six years is a moving testimony of how human relations in Hickory have been improved by diverse people working together, restoring lives and communities.
2004 Community Relations Award
Exodus Homes is a six-year-old private non-profit faith based United Way agency providing 80 beds of supportive housing for recovering addicts, alcoholics, and ex-offenders in six locations in Hickory. After overcoming initially strong opposition to the establishment of their program, today Exodus Homes’ success is known all the way to the White House. Our organization is the quintessential example of how a visionary leader can marshal the forces of local volunteers and create a program that helps bring fallen people from their disgrace into a life of dignity and service.
Rev. Reggie Longcrier, founder and Executive Director of Exodus Homes saw that people leaving substance abuse treatment centers and prison had nowhere to go and nothing to do when they got there. He knew from personal experience that people need support to rebuild their lives after losing everything due to addiction or incarceration. Drug addition and alcoholism plague our community across racial lines and socio-economic classes, and the resident population of Exodus Homes is a uniquely diverse recovery community. It is an extraordinary mix of people from college graduates to those with little education, from those whose fall from grace was riches to rags, and other who have never know anything but poverty. In 2004, the average resident population has been 66% African-American, 28% White, and 6% other races. The Exodus Homes recovery community is an ongoing cross-cultural training project where diverse people learn about each other and find ways to live together in peace.
The residents themselves who serve in full and part time volunteer staff positions primarily operate Exodus Homes. The management of the program is self-government in its truest form. Residents run the office, provide transportation, maintain the facilities and vehicles, as well as help shape and evolve the program. Exodus Homes makes room for the diverse gifts and talents of those who come, and our motto is “The only thing about Exodus that will never change is the fact that we’ll always be changing.” The Exodus community as a subculture is fluid and ever changing based on the personalities and gifts of those who reside and work here. The staff is primarily groomed from within the resident pool by leadership development that produces a diverse team of players via a mentor/apprentice training process. Today the staff team is 73% African-American and 27% White, 76% volunteer, 24% paid, 76% residents, 24% non-residents. Every day is an exercise in improving human relations at Exodus Homes!
The agency is affiliated with Exodus Missionary Outreach Church that created the organization to carry out the mission of the church. The church is a nondenominational multi-ethnic ministry that provides opportunities for spiritual growth and service to all residents of Exodus Homes as soon as they arrive. Residents are encouraged to grow spiritually in the faith of their choice, and Rev. Longcrier says “We live out our Jesus by respecting all faith groups.” Tolerance of, and appreciation for, religious differences is highly valued. Agnostics, atheists, and those who just aren’t interested in faith -based activities are given an option to participate in other programs that are equally valuable to their recovery. Exodus Homes residents can find God in a way that works for them.
The six housing facilities and the church are located in four Hickory neighborhoods, making its impact widespread across the city. Exodus has a presence in the Ridgeview, Green Park, Kenworth, and Highland neighborhoods. The agency is appreciated for what it brings to each community. Exodus Homes’ residents who were initially feared by local neighborhoods are now seen as assets to the community, and are called upon for help. “Can you send some residents to the next neighborhood clean-up?” “Do you have anyone who can help me move?” or “Help! Heavy rain is causing my living room to flood! Can you send some men to get my furniture up on blocks?” The Hickory Police Department, the Hickory Community Development Department, and the Hickory Neighborhood Coordinator all praise the positive impact the program has had in neighborhoods all over the city. Human relations are significantly improved when people who were once feared are now your neighbors with faces and names you know. People who once felt rejected and thrown away now feel valuable and needed. Exodus Homes’ residents and staff help bring people together for healing and restoration.
The tremendous success in the growth of the Exodus Homes over the past six years is a moving testimony of how human relations in Hickory have been improved by diverse people working together, restoring lives and communities.