"Your Quest for support housing starts here." "Your Quest for success starts here.”
Quest 35, Inc.
A 501c3 non-profit community housing organization
Atlanta, GA
SUCCESS STORIES
Joel Watkins and Lawson Johnson
Lawson came here from North Carolina in 2001 at the age of 42 and once he arrived without family and friends he became homeless with an addiction of crack cocaine and then fell into the lifestyle of crime; known as burglary. Joel came from Washington, DC in 1978 at the age of 11 with his mother. Becoming a young man at the age of 19, his mother left him here in Atlanta abandoned over her addiction. And according to Joel that’s when he started becoming addicted to the life-style of drugs and criminal activity; one known as burglary.
Joyce Smith, for over 40 years, while living in her own apartment and working daily, Joyce Smith supported herself. Without family and lost of a job, spiraled her info a life of homelessness. Ms. Smith sought shelter at the Salvation Army Shelter, while at the shelter she was directed to call United Way 211 help line to get assistance in job placement and housing. A referral to JFCS for job placement was obtained and Ms. Smith was hired.
Still working to secure housing for a single woman without children, JFCS referred her to The Leonard House emergency housing program. Upon admission Ms. Smith was placed with a case manger to help her accomplished her goal of independent housing and self sufficiency once again.
By following a complete individually based service plan Ms. Smith is now living in her own one bedroom apartment at Quest Village and still gainfully employed.
Joel and Lawson use to do burglary crimes in their addiction, however not together. According to Joel and Lawson, “We were in and out of jail and didn’t find a way of help in recovery”. “We ended up in Drug Court together and that’s where we met”. The two were court appointed into a program and The Leonard House was that program. Joel, “they took us through treatment to help us find a new way to live”. We put together our own construction business and were introduced to the supportiveness of Leonard’s Housing. After observing the guys readiness for change and way of thinking, Leonard Adams decided to give Joel and Lawson a chance to prove themselves. Joel and Lawson would get up in the mornings and go to work in construction. Joel states,” We are still in business at the present time and continue to land big contracts throughout the United States; such as Georgia, North Carolina, Washington, DC and Florida, etc. Joel states, “Where there’s a job of construction you will see J&W construction/remodeling”. For the future we are trying to open up a non-profit organization for transitional housing and which will teach the youth of today the skills we have gained to ensure that they do not fall victim to the street life-style. As we both understand now through the help of recovery and spiritual principles; negative life-styles are inherited through environment. If we can help them prevent that early in life, they will skip the heartache of what drugs and crime can cause from our experience and skip to the positive life-style we have now.
Quest 35 Housing
Quest Workforce Dev.
Quest Payee Services
Quest Villages
The Leonard House
Written by: Marion Goulbourne September 2009
Tahira Durden was born on 06/29/1966 in Brooklyn, NY. She is the second child of 5 girls. Tahira reported she was raised by her mother until the age of 9. She stated her mother and father did not live together due to her father physically abusing her mother. She stated she did not have much interaction with her father. Tia reported at about age 9 her mother took her and her other 4 siblings to an aunt’s house. She reported her mother did not return to pick them up and her aunt called the police. She reported New York’s Administration of Children Services got involved and she and her siblings were placed at Devine Providence, a shelter for children. She remembered spending about 2 months in the shelter before being placed at a facility called Abbott House. She spent about 1 year at Abbott House and was then moved to a group home where she stayed for 3 years. Between the ages of 10-13 she reported she was placed in several group homes. During this time she reported her mother would call periodically but she would not visit. At the age of 13, she reported her father’s oldest sister gained custody of her and her siblings. She stated she lived with her aunt from the age of 13-18 and then dropped out of high school and joined the Nation of Islam and moved into a building for training Muslim girls. She reported she left New York to attend some training classes in Atlanta, GA but was but out of the organization for fornication. She reported she was homeless and decided to join Job Corp, where she stayed for 18 months but did not complete. She, however, was able to get her GED. She reported she left to live with a friend and got a job at Church’s Chicken. She stated at Church’s chicken, she met her boyfriend and had her 1st child while they were living in a rooming house. She reported she returned to New York after getting pregnant with her 2nd child as it was not working out with her boyfriend. She stated after spending 8 months in New York she got back with her boyfriend, returned to Atlanta and had 2 other children. She stated for seven years things were going well and they had an apartment at Bowen Holmes. However, she became unemployed and ended up losing her apartment. She stated her boyfriend and 4 children went to live with his mother but she had to seek shelter at the Gateway Center. Tahira was then referred to Quest 35, INC, where she received housing and supportive services. While at Quest 35 Inc, Tahira enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan College for Social Science. She reported she would like to become a professional counselor. As of September 15, 2009 Tahira permanently resides at Quest 35, INC Transitional Home as the house manager. Some of Tahira’s duties as the house manager includes, orienting and getting consumers acclimated to house rules and regulations, observing consumers self –administration of their medication, completes fire drill and maintain a log on consumer daily activity.
Written By Kenny Anderson September 2009
Jesse Goode Jr. was born on 06/11/1969 in Atlanta, Ga. He is the 2nd of 3 children. Jesse reported that he was raised by his mother and father, along with his 2 siblings. Jesse reported that they had a good up- bringing. He stated that his mom pasted away in 1983. Jesse stated that his dad is still living and they have a very good relationship. Jesse report that he graduated in 1987 from Gordon High School in Atlanta GA in 1987.
Jesse reported that he was married for 6 years and they have 2 children, a boy now age 19 and a girl age14. Jesse reported that he did warehouse work for 10 years and was a machine operator for 4 years. At his last job, he had multiple absences as a result of an ankle injury and was terminated from his employment. He reported as a result of becoming unemployment, he began to experience marital problems which led to him being divorced. Jesse reported that he became homeless in 2005, initially sleeping at various friends and family homes, later at the shelters at The Task Force for the Homeless and Jefferson Place and eventually on the street. Jesse stated he was sleeping on the street in 2008 when he was approached by outreach workers from The Gateway Center who later took him to Quest35 Inc. At Quest 35 Housing, Jesse was provided with case management services which include employment readiness training, daily life skills and community resource linkage.
Jesse was referred by Quest 35 Housing to permanent housing with STIL House Housing located at 5930 HWY 85 Riverdale, GA and is working at JVC. Jesse also reported that he is in the process of getting his CDL license only needs to take the test. Jesse also reported he has been working on getting his own internet business off the ground since 2006 and, at the present time he is about 80% away from accomplish this long term goal.
