Interview with TODD WALKER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT JUDEO-CHRISTIAN OUTREACH CENTER

What is JCOC’s mission, and how is the mission being accomplished?

Our mission is to empower individualas, families and veterans to overcome crisis situations and return to being productive, self-sufficient and independent members of the community. We do this by facilitating hunger relief programs to eliminate food insecurity and housing programs to provide temporary housing and services to get people back into permanent housing in the shortest amount of time possible and remain there long-term.

How is JCOC preventing homelessness?

Our Hunger Relief Programs provide food resources to help supplement what people may have at home so they do not have to make a decision between paying rent and buying groceries. Our food pantry operates twice weekly for households needing assistance and our Community Dinner, which operates daily to provide a meal to anyone in need, helps keep people struggling from lack of food resources in housing.

You’ve had opportunity to share JCOC’s experience with shared housing in numerous settings around the country. Share a little bit about where as well as what shared housing is, and why you incorporate it into JCOC’s programs.

Shared Housing is the model we use as part of our Rapid Rehousing Initiative. Rapid Rehousing is made up of three parts, Landlord Engagement, Financial Assistance for rent and case management to establish housing stability. We (JCOC) seek to establish partnerships with landlords and property owners in the community. Shared Housing is the model we use as part of our Rapid Rehousing Initiative. We (JCOC) seek to establish partnerships with landlords and property owners in the community. This includes establishing affordable rents for our clients and putting a lease on each room, bundling utilities and rent. Funding from local, state, and federal grants are used to provide shallow subsidies including security deposits. Once the client is in housing, our staff provides case management and support to help create housing stability and move the client toward self-sufficiency. The goal of the program is to make housing more affordable through paring up as roommates. Clients have their own room but share living space. The program makes housing more affordable for individuals with limited or fixed income..

What is JCOC’s Help. Hope. Healing Capital Campaign, and why is this campaign so important?

Raising 14 million to update our campus which will include 38 units of affordable housing, a new dining hall for hunger relief programs and admin offices. Our website www.jcoc.org has all of the info about the project and how you can get involved.

When do you expect to break ground? Our plans are for late fall of 2023.

What does JCOC need donations for right now? How can we all join you in JCOC’s mission?

Anyone can join our mission by reaching out to our main office at 757-491-2846 and find out how to get involved.

How can we follow what’s going on with JCOC and everyone you help?

Everyone is invited to come to JCOC’s Black & White Gala on Friday, October 6th at The Westin in Town Center, Virginia Beach. We celebrate accomplishments from the past year and look to what’s ahead, such as our affordable housing project. In addition, you can check our Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram, and jcoc.org.

CHECK OUT THE JCOC VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS. HERE’S FIVE THINGS TO DO TO HELP THE HOMELESS.

You can help homeless people in a variety of ways, such as making donations, offering aid, or volunteering. Below are just a few ways you could make a difference in the community and someone’s life.

1) Give Financially or Donate from our Wish List

JCOC welcomes financial donations and gifts off of the Wish List - men’s and women’s underwear (new); bus passes; bottled water; and snack bags (canned meat, chips, cookies, granola bars, crackers, fruit cups, meat sticks, water or juice box).

2) Volunteer!

JCOC has opportunities for individuals, families, groups, and businesses. This includes serving Community Dinner and helping with Food Pantry. Call (757) 4912846 or email jcoc@jcoc.org.

3) Donate Professional Skills

Everyone has talents and skills they could donate to help people experiencing homelessness. Direct service providers may be able to use their unique skills to help shelters or individuals. This includes plumbing, accounting, carpentry, fundraising, legal, medical, dentistry, child care, counseling, tutoring, or mentoring. The options are endless!

4) Job Opportunities

Encourage your company, school, or place of worship to hire people experiencing homelessness. Most unemployed homeless adults desperately want to work, but need an employer to give them a chance. That hand-up could be exactly what someone needs to help them rebuild their life.

5) A Simple Smile

Making eye contact, saying a few kind words, or smiling can reaffirm the humanity of a person at a time when homelessness seems to have stripped it away. This small gesture takes but a moment, but has a lasting positive impact.

Serving Others & Changing Lives

However you choose to help homeless people in Virginia Beach, your time and service will be appreciated more than you may ever know. Because a kind word or gesture which comes from a place of service and love for one another has the power to change someone’s life for the better.