Law Enforcement and Corporate Sponsorships Help Exodus Homes Acquire State-of-the-Art Telephone System
12/09/07
Catawba
County Sheriff David Huffman, Wal-Mart, and
Voyss Solutions teamed up to help Exodus Homes
by providing a state-of-the-art telephone system
to the organization.
Exodus Homes, a faith-based United Way non-profit agency has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years. However, the success of their program meant that they eventually outgrew their homemade phone system. “We don’t know much about phones, but we did our best with what we could piece together from local office supply companies,” said the Reverend Reggie Longcrier, Exodus Homes Executive Director.
With no interoffice intercom and frequently unable to get an outside line, staff had become accustomed to using their cell phones as a way to do business.
Susan Smith, Assistant Executive Director, began to search for a solution to the telephone problem and was directed to Voyss Solutions, a North Carolina-based communications and IT sales and marketing company. After evaluating Exodus Homes’ needs, Voyss Solutions management developed a plan to meet the current needs of the organization and to position Exodus Homes for future growth. As part of Voyss Solutions’ corporate commitment to the communities it serves, the company donated the $7000 cost of wiring and labor. An additional $10,000 would be needed for the telephone hardware.
Sheriff Huffman, a longtime friend of the supportive housing program, then sought help from Wal-Mart. “Exodus Homes is effectively reducing crime in our area, and they are allowing folks to re-enter society better trained, better equipped, and better people,” he noted. “We were happy to be able to help a program that does so much the community,” said David Cruse, Market Manager for Wal-Mart in North Carolina. “Wal-Mart is proud to work with Exodus Homes and help support the work they do to help our neighbors in need,” Cruse added. Exodus Homes plans future fundraising activities to raise the additional funds needed.
Exodus Homes, located in Hickory, NC, is a faith-based United Way agency offering transitional and permanent supportive housing for homeless recovering addicts, alcoholics, and formerly incarcerated people returning to the community from treatment programs and prison. Exodus Homes has a comprehensive array of services to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of its residents
Exodus Homes Residents Clean Up Ridgeview Neighborhood
11/25/07
Exodus
Homes residents and staff came out in force
for the Ridgeview Neighborhood Litter Sweep
on Saturday November 24, 2007. The
faith-based United Way non-profit supportive
housing organization takes great pride in
helping improve the Ridgeview neighborhood where
seven of its facilities are located.
Exodus Homes Presents at White House National Summit on Prisoner Reentry
11/25/07
White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
National Summit on Prisoner Reentry
The Westin St. Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
404 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
On November 27-28, 2007 the White House and the Departments of Labor and Justice will host the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives National Summit on Prisoner Reentry. On November 28, Exodus Homes will be presenting as one of three transitional housing programs whose excellence has catapulted them into the national spotlight as models for replication in other communities. The faith-based United Way agency provides 85 beds of supportive housing in ten locations in Hickory, and was one of three grassroots organizations that helped Hickory win All America City in June 2007. Exodus will co-present with The Next Door of Nashville, and The Corporation for Supportive Housing with sites all over the country. Susan Smith, Assistant Executive Director for the agency will represent Exodus Homes as she did last July at the White House. Rev. Reggie Longcrier, Executive Director says "We are honored to present our program in this first national summit, and hope other communities will come together as we have here in Catawba County to help individuals successfully reenter society from prison."
President Bush has placed unprecedented priority on breaking the tragic cycle of recidivism. In announcing his Prisoner Reentry Initiative, he stated in his 2004 State of the Union Address -- “America is the land of the Second Chance, and when the gates of prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.” Over the course of the two-day summit, experts and innovators in the field will explore together the latest data, original research, and promising models for combating recidivism and joblessness among the formerly incarcerated.
Each year more than 650,000 inmates are released from Federal and State prisons and return to their communities and families. Addressing the tremendous human needs associated with recidivism requires that Federal, state, and local decision-makers partner with nongovernmental organizations—for-profit and nonprofit, faith-based and secular—to promote jobs, transitional housing, education, substance abuse treatment, positive mentoring relationships, and other valuable transitional services. The N.C. Department of Correction says that 74% of people leaving prison are reincarcerated within 3 years. A recent study of individuals served in the Exodus Homes program from 1998 - 2004 show a dramatic decrease in recidivism. Of the 222 residents with a history of incarceration who had been discharged by December 31, 2004, only 29% had been reincarcerated to date. This remarkable study shows that Exodus Homes has decreased the recidivism rate for individuals with a history of incarceration by 45%.
Ms. Smith will be presenting on the synergistic working relationship between Exodus Homes, Exodus Missionary Outreach Church, Catawba Prison Ministries, and the community in "The Exodus Movement". Of primary interest to the national audience will be the fact that Exodus Homes is primarily funded and operated by its residents, with only 9% of its annual budget coming from federal sources, as well as community support with numerous creative partnerships. The most unique feature of the Exodus Homes program is the development of permanent supportive housing in the midst of the transitional program with small group living in apartments and houses that helps reduce crime in neighborhoods. Hickory Police Department statistics show that Exodus has reduced crime in the Ridgeview, Green Park, and Kenworth neighborhoods. The City of Hickory, the Hickory Police Department and the Western Piedmont Council of Governments all contributed to the development of the Exodus presentation for the Summit.
Ms. Smith leaves for Los Angeles on Monday 11/26, and will return Thursday 11/29. She will be sending a Special Report from the summit to the media via e-mail on the afternoon of 11/28 after her presentation. For more information, you can contact her on her mobile phone at 828-962-8196 or at susansmith@charter.net.
The Westin St. Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
404 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
On November 27-28, 2007 the White House and the Departments of Labor and Justice will host the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives National Summit on Prisoner Reentry. On November 28, Exodus Homes will be presenting as one of three transitional housing programs whose excellence has catapulted them into the national spotlight as models for replication in other communities. The faith-based United Way agency provides 85 beds of supportive housing in ten locations in Hickory, and was one of three grassroots organizations that helped Hickory win All America City in June 2007. Exodus will co-present with The Next Door of Nashville, and The Corporation for Supportive Housing with sites all over the country. Susan Smith, Assistant Executive Director for the agency will represent Exodus Homes as she did last July at the White House. Rev. Reggie Longcrier, Executive Director says "We are honored to present our program in this first national summit, and hope other communities will come together as we have here in Catawba County to help individuals successfully reenter society from prison."
President Bush has placed unprecedented priority on breaking the tragic cycle of recidivism. In announcing his Prisoner Reentry Initiative, he stated in his 2004 State of the Union Address -- “America is the land of the Second Chance, and when the gates of prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.” Over the course of the two-day summit, experts and innovators in the field will explore together the latest data, original research, and promising models for combating recidivism and joblessness among the formerly incarcerated.
Each year more than 650,000 inmates are released from Federal and State prisons and return to their communities and families. Addressing the tremendous human needs associated with recidivism requires that Federal, state, and local decision-makers partner with nongovernmental organizations—for-profit and nonprofit, faith-based and secular—to promote jobs, transitional housing, education, substance abuse treatment, positive mentoring relationships, and other valuable transitional services. The N.C. Department of Correction says that 74% of people leaving prison are reincarcerated within 3 years. A recent study of individuals served in the Exodus Homes program from 1998 - 2004 show a dramatic decrease in recidivism. Of the 222 residents with a history of incarceration who had been discharged by December 31, 2004, only 29% had been reincarcerated to date. This remarkable study shows that Exodus Homes has decreased the recidivism rate for individuals with a history of incarceration by 45%.
Ms. Smith will be presenting on the synergistic working relationship between Exodus Homes, Exodus Missionary Outreach Church, Catawba Prison Ministries, and the community in "The Exodus Movement". Of primary interest to the national audience will be the fact that Exodus Homes is primarily funded and operated by its residents, with only 9% of its annual budget coming from federal sources, as well as community support with numerous creative partnerships. The most unique feature of the Exodus Homes program is the development of permanent supportive housing in the midst of the transitional program with small group living in apartments and houses that helps reduce crime in neighborhoods. Hickory Police Department statistics show that Exodus has reduced crime in the Ridgeview, Green Park, and Kenworth neighborhoods. The City of Hickory, the Hickory Police Department and the Western Piedmont Council of Governments all contributed to the development of the Exodus presentation for the Summit.
Ms. Smith leaves for Los Angeles on Monday 11/26, and will return Thursday 11/29. She will be sending a Special Report from the summit to the media via e-mail on the afternoon of 11/28 after her presentation. For more information, you can contact her on her mobile phone at 828-962-8196 or at susansmith@charter.net.
Exodus Homes Hits Home Run With City Hall Presentation
10/31/07
Exodus
Homes hit a home run yesterday at City Hall in
Hickory with it's
Stabilizing Communities presentation
to a crowd of 100 who turned out to hear why
the faith-based organization was asked to
present at the White House this summer. The
audience of elected officials and their
representatives from city, county, state and
federal government were very
impressed with the tremendous positive impact
the program has had on the lives of its residents and
this community. Many other influential
community leaders, program staff, and Exodus
board members attended, breaking out in
spontaneous applause in response to
the presentation about how transformed
lives, urban renewal, crime reduction, and economic
development are stabilizing our
community. Once again, Chick Fil A showed up as the
corporate sponsor for an Exodus Homes event,
providing breakfast refreshments
for participants willing to come out
on such a rainy
day.
Rev.
Reggie Longcrier, Exodus Homes Executive
Director was very pleased with
the event, saying "This tremendous
turnout is a powerful demonstration
of the community support
that helped us get to the White House in
July." Susan Smith, Assistant Executive Director
of the United Way agency represented the
organization at thehite House last summer,
and gave a powerful overview of it's 12
locations in five neighborhoods,
its operational structure, financial
information, social enterprise development,
crisis stabilization program, permanent housing
component, and new direction for
growing the program via managing rental
properties for local landlords. Ms.
Smith explained that after the
White House presentation a high level HUD
official approached her saying, "Your program is
what we have been looking for all over the
country because you're stabilizing the
community".
Four Exodus Homes residents gave testimonies of how the program had transformed their lives with love, support services, and discipline. Danny Hearn, President of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce, moved the audience with his personal experience on the All America City team getting to know one of the Exodus Homes residents on the trip to Anaheim, California. "This fellow was riding a plane for the second time in his life. The first time, he was shackled to the seat on his way to prison. This time he was flying with us as a member of the All America City team because Exodus Homes helped him, and gave him another chance."
In
September, Anna Maria Faris, HUD Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs from
Washington, D.C. came to learn more about
Exodus after hearing Ms. Smith speak
in July. Yesterday's City Hall event
included remarks from a second federal
guest, Teresa Chappell, Special Assistant
to the Assistant Deputy Secretary of HUD, Mayor
Bob Young who was not able to attend due to
illness. Ms. Chappell is the Regional
Coordinator to community and faith-based
organizations in Region IV, which covers nine
states including Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands. As a result of her accomplishments in
the Federal Government Teresa was recently
invited to serve as one of the People to People
Ambassador Programs “Women in Society Delegation
to China” in the winter of 2007. In her
rousing speech, she congratulated Exodus Homes
for earning the attention of the White
House because of its unique program design and
outstanding accomplishments in the community.
Ms. Chappell also commended our
community for the success of Exodus
Homes saying "It takes a whole village to
raise up an Exodus Homes to such
excellence." She left the crowd with a
deeper understanding of the federal faith-based
and community initiative as well
as encouragement that more help is
coming to assist groups like Exodus Homes in
future nationwide trainings called "Show Me
The Money!" Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright presented
Ms. Chappell with a key to the City in
appreciation for her presence at the
community celebration of a major
Catawba County success story.
For more information about Exodus Homes, you can visit them online at www.exodushomes.org, e-mail to susansmith@charter.net, or call the office at 828-324-4870.
Exodus Homes Presenting at White House Roundtable Discussion
07/18/07
Jay
Hein, Director of the White House Office of
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives has
invited Exodus Homes to participate in a
White House
Compassion in Action Roundtable,
"Faith and Community-Based Partnerships to End
Homelessness."
This discussion will occur on July 18, 2007 from
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM in the Eisenhower Executive
Office Building, Room 450. Susan Smith,
Assistant Executive Director of Exodus Homes, will
represent the faith-based United Way agency next week
in Washington. Rev. Reggie Longcrier, founder and
Executive Director of the organization,
will remain in Hickory because the supportive housing
program is full, Exodus Church is celebrating it's
tenth anniversary this weekend, and many new
initiatives are underway at Exodus Homes which was
formed to act as the non-profit arm of Exodus
Church. He says " This is a great honor for our
staff and residents. Susan has been here
since the beginning, and is very qualified
to represent us on this great
occasion." President Bush’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative flows from the conviction that the most effective way to address our communities’ most pressing needs is to draw upon the unique strengths of every willing community and faith-based partner. This roundtable will explore a number of today’s most promising efforts to combat homelessness, each of which are built on this simple principle. Exodus Homes was chosen as one of three housing programs in the country to present at the Roundtable because of it's outstanding reputation as a progressive leader in providing transitional to permanent supportive housing for homeless recovering addicts, alcoholics and formerly incarcerated people.
This Roundtable will feature Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Alphonso Jackson, who will discuss his Department's role in creating and promoting private/public partnerships to combat homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will highlight promising models from its Unlocking Doors Initiative, which partners with city governments to engage faith-based and community organizations in developing affordable housing plans and promoting homeownership. The event will also explore pioneering efforts through the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, including innovative partnerships with grassroots organizations to combat homelessness in communities across the country.
The Roundtable audience will be comprised of 100 government officials, policymakers, foundation officials, philanthropists, faith-based and community leaders, and includes dialogue between the formal presenters and audience members. Ms. Smith will present a snapshot of how various kinds of HUD funds have been used in conjunction with other funding to "unlock the doors" of supportive housing for homeless recovering people in this area. The City of Hickory Community Development Program, Western Piedmont Council of Governments, N.C. Housing Finance Agency, and N.C. Emergency Shelter Grant Program have all been conduits of HUD funding to Exodus Homes. While HUD has helped Exodus "unlock the doors", numerous community partnerships, and most importantly, the residents of Exodus Homes themselves have been the strongest sustaining elements that keep the lights on and the doors open. Their innovative grassroots work was recently featured before the National Civic League All America City competition in Anaheim, California where Exodus representatives helped the City win the prestigious award for the third time in forty years.
Ms. Smith will need Secret Service clearance for the event, and feels awed by all that has happened over the last ten years. She says "Ten years ago we were a small group sitting in a new church listening to Pastor Longcrier describe the vision God had given him for what is now Exodus Homes. I am blessed to be part of such wonderful work with so many dedicated people. To God be the glory, great things He has done."
Ms. Smith will leave for Washington next Tuesday and return on Thursday July 19, 2007. For more information, please call 828-962-8196.