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ONCE HOMELESS, NOW AN ACTIVIST

When it comes to homelessness, Ann Martin-Frey knows all the issues - all too well.

Ann was homeless in 1999 and for a number of years thereafter. In 2006, she incorporated a private, nonprofit faith-based organization, "Homeless To Independence," to advocate for and serve homeless individuals. And come October 3, she will lead a 10K fundraising walk at Mercer County Park in Trenton, NJ.

"Being homeless is a shocking experience," says Ann, a 48-year-old resident of our Services at Escher Street program, in Trenton. "All of a sudden you’re in a situation, and you don’t understand how you got in that situation. You don’t know where to turn. It’s humiliating.

"There’s a stigma on the word ‘homeless,’" adds Ann, who is the volunteer executive director of Homeless To Independence. "Once you tell somebody you’re homeless, they look down at you, like you’re a terrible person. Like you’re one of the worst people on the face of the earth."

A friendly, energetic woman with four grown daughters, Ann became homeless after becoming involved "in a bad relationship that was riddled with illegal substances." She got clean and sober in 2003, and turned herself in to face a theft-related charge that ultimately led to her incarceration.

After she was released from prison in 2004 and was on parole, "there were men and women like me who needed help finding housing and finding employment," says Ann, who worked with her own parole officer and others to help connect parolees with services. "This," she declares, "is the path God wanted me on."

Homeless To Independence has been gaining support – Ann has at least three dedicated volunteers – and the organization has raised several thousand dollars so far. Between $20,000 and $30,000 will be needed to establish boarding homes in Trenton and Camden. "The first boarding home is going to be a reality in the next 18 months," Ann vows.

Besides raising money for the project, the October 3 walk aims "to increase awareness of homelessness," she continues. "To be homeless and have literally nothing is heart wrenching."

Ann’s efforts to stem homelessness have not gone unnoticed; in 2006 she was honored with the Ida B. Wells award by the NAACP’s Metuchen-Edison chapter.

"Ann is great! Her cause is to help those less fortunate," says Joanne Collins, a tenant resource counselor at Escher. "She does this by passing on what she calls ‘precious information’ to empower people to help themselves. Her focus and energy are endless."

Ann says she does feel overwhelmed occasionally, such as "when the computer doesn’t want to work." She gets a huge volume of emails from her 10,000-member network.

"Homeless To Independence will work with anybody. I don’t care if they’re from Mars," Ann says. "When I see homeless people out there, it breaks my heart. I understand what they’re going through. I understand."

For more information, contact:

Ann Martin-Frey
Founder and Executive Director
Homeless To Independence Inc
A Faith-Based Non-Profit
609-575-8048
www.homelesstoindependence.org
ann@homelesstoindependence.org