Stories

Mr. Dennis is a resident at VOADV’s Camden-based transitional housing program, Home for the Brave, where he is recognized by his colorful, patriotic star-spangled cap. He is a US veteran – one who proudly served in the United States Army for eleven years as a cryptographer. He is also a talented jazz musician, a master of many instruments. And because of his musical talents, Mr. Dennis has also become a local icon. On a typical morning, you can find Mr. Dennis walking down JFK Boulevard in Philadelphia, humming Cat Steven’s “Good Morning Has Broken” with an old, leather music case…

Behind the mask meet Kimberly Love – a proud Oaklyn-native, mother and Director of Specialized Offender Services and the Community Resource Center (CRC) at Volunteers of America Delaware Valley. Kim’s job is not an easy one. In fact, Kim serves arguably one of the communities’ most difficult populations: ex-offenders who have been released from prison and under parole supervision. It requires mental fortitude, creativity, physical strength, ingenuity… and even some tough love. In a dual capacity, Kim oversees VOADV’s CRC in Camden, which serves as a day reporting center for ex-offenders providing critical structure, support and rehabilitation, as well as…

Behind every facemask, there is a story. Angela Randall serves as the Regional Director of Housing Services for many of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley’s housing facilities around the region. From Lindenwold Towers, Waterfront Village and Brittin Village to Homestead at Harmony, Christine’s Corner and Moving Forward, Angela works closely with her staff members to secure temporary and permanent housing for some of our communities’ most vulnerable individuals: individuals experiencing homelessness, senior citizens, veterans and those suffering from chronic mental illness. While it may seem like tremendous responsibility for only one woman, those who know Angela know she is perfect…

Meet Latasha Kendrick – VOADV Moving Forward client and single mother of three children who overcame homelessness and domestic violence only to face a new, unexpected challenge in 2020… coronavirus. We first introduced you to Latasha in our June edition, when The Star Ledger/NJ.com profiled her struggle of having to choose between the job she loves and staying home to care for her children during the pandemic. A few weeks ago, Latasha was asked to share her heartbreaking story with esteemed Senior Business Correspondent Stephanie Ruhle for a primetime special “Coronavirus and the Classroom,” anchored by Lester Holt. Latasha’s segment focused on…

As communities across the nation address the unique challenges posed by COVID-19, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley (VOADV) staff have been working tirelessly over the past few months to minimize all associated risks of the virus for staff, clients and the communities we serve. Every year, VOADV provides essential programs and services to approximately 13,000 of our communities’ most vulnerable individuals– ranging from homelessness, reentry, veterans assistance and affordable housing services, to specialized programs for addiction, traumatic brain injury and/or intellectual disabilities. While COVID-19 is afflicting thousands of people across the globe, many of the individuals served by VOADV are…

Behind her mask, Tiwanda Randolph wears many hats: proud mother, trusted friend, Blackwood-native, hard worker. Now, Tiwanda can add one more to the list – valued member of VOADV’s Housing Services team! Tiwanda is the new Service Coordinator for Lindenwold Towers and Waterfront Village – two of VOADV’s senior housing facilities, located in Lindenwold and Bordentown, respectively. As Service Coordinator, Tiwanda is responsible for improving the quality of life for her residents by developing and implementing supportive services at each location and providing daily assistance to residents. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a number of unique challenges to the senior…

Since 2015, VOADV has operated the Safe Return program, providing rapid and immediate voluntary reentry services to residents across southern New Jersey and in Trenton specifically. Through this program, VOADV provides an array of essential services to those exiting the criminal justice system – diverting individuals away from costly crisis-oriented systems, including emergency rooms and jails, and, instead, to expert social service providers who can more appropriately address their needs and ensure success. Over the past few months, VOADV has been challenged to find new, creative ways to reduce costs in order to preserve the Safe Return program and its…

Meet Nora Miller and Kaylee Teesdale from Haddon Heights – these two Glenview Elementary School students are best friends and your typical, happy fifth graders. They enjoy going to school, spending time with one another, going on adventures with their parents and absolutely love arts & crafts. But these days, life is a little different for these two friends. They know they can’t go to school, play with friends or leave their houses on weekends like they used to – and the reason is COVID-19. Although young, Nora and Kaylee understand that the coronavirus is very dangerous, and resources are…

As one of the most densely populated state in the nation, New Jersey has also been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state as a whole has experienced a high number of COVID-19 cases from its northern most counties all the way to its southern most counties. Sadly, New Jersey also has one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases in its prisons and jails in the country. These facilities house large numbers of individuals with chronic diseases and complex medical issues, putting them at greater risk of contracting and spreading novel coronavirus. Unfortunately, this has resulted in many…

My grandson recently asked me why people are saying that they “don’t like black people.” My grandson is 6 years old and African American. When you consider the innocence of children, you struggle with how to even begin to explain it all – the technicalities, the decades of repression and suppression, the harsh and sometimes brutal realities of inequality and injustice prevalent in our society. You obviously cannot get into a geopolitical dialogue with a child – you have to break it all down into the simplest terms. You say things like, “They just don’t know you,” “They don’t know all…