Franky is the healthiest he’s been in years
thanks to you
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Originally from Puerto Rico, Francisco Diaz has been living in Washington D.C. for the past 22 years and considers himself a D.C. native. Franky, as he is known by his friends, loves living in the United States. However, his life has been anything but easy. For many years, Franky has struggled with bipolar disorder, alcohol and homelessness.
Franky’s mental illness and housing instability have been sources of great stress and anxiety for him, fueling his dependence on alcohol. Sadly, things got much worse for Franky before they got better. Seven years ago, he was diagnosed with diabetes. But he wasn’t ready to change his lifestyle of drinking.
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Franky at Hope Has A Home™
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“It’s terrible. It’s something that you can’t imagine can hurt you, but it does hurt you. That’s one of the reasons I lost my leg,” says Franky.
After spending some time in the hospital recovering from multiple surgeries, Franky was sent to Christ House, a local program for homeless individuals dealing with medical issues. There he received support recovering from his surgeries.
Once he was ready, Franky was then transferred to Hope Has A Home™, where supporters like you have helped him take the next step in his recovery. At Hope Has A Home™, Franky has a warm bed, and ongoing care and support to help him manage his diabetes and mental illness.
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“I changed my old habits. I stopped drinking, stopped smoking, stopped doing everything that I’m not supposed to be doing. And the results are great,” says Franky.
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Your support also means that Franky will have a home of his own to move into by the end of his time in the program.
“I’m very grateful and appreciate the team for being here – for helping me. And I thank God for taking me to this place. I believe in miracles, just look at what God did with me.”
At Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas, we also believe in miracles. Every day, amazing givers of hope like you create miracles for vulnerable people like Franky. To learn more about Hope Has A Home™ for men, visit www.voachesapeake.org/hhah or click the button below.
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Jumpstart Your 2023 Giving!
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Are you looking for ways to make an impact this year? Consider giving to one of the following programs! These are existing programs or programs being launching in 2023 thanks to givers like you.
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Hope Has A Home™ for Women
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This summer, donors like you are helping to open a brand-new program just for women experiencing homelessness in the District of Columbia. Hope Has A Home™ for Women will be the first of its kind in the District to provide women too sick to be on the streets the care they need to heal in a comfortable home environment.
Learn more about how you can help vulnerable mothers and daughters heal and move into homes of their own.
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Read the case for support at
voachesapeake.org/hope4women
or click the button below.
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Give a gift to help launch the program at
voachesapeake.org/give2women
or click the button below.
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Newport News YouthBuild provides a second chance to youth from low-income areas in and around Newport News, VA. Youth earn as they learn and are placed into in-demand careers by the end of the program. Thanks to givers of hope like you, the program also helps youth in need overcome trauma, address gun violence and transition home from the justice system.
Learn how you can help youth in need succeed and achieve their dreams.
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Learn more about YouthBuild at
voachesapeake.org/youthbuild
or click the button below.
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Give a gift to help youth succeed at
voachesapeake.org/give2youth
or click the button below.
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Maple Court Veterans Transitional Housing Program
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Since 2009, supporters like you have
provided hope to nearly 600 of our
nation’s heroes through the Maple
Court Veterans Transitional Housing Program, a 24-apartment veteran support program in Durham, NC. Veterans experiencing homelessness or in need of a safe place to heal after hospitalization are provided their own temporary apartment and support taking that next step.
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Read the case for support at
voachespeake.org/hope4veterans
or click the button below.
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Give a gift to support our heroes at
voachespeake.org/give2vets
or click the button below.
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At the VOA Hope Centers in Greenbelt, Baltimore and the District of Columbia, men, women and children can access mental health, recovery support and primary care regardless of health status, insurance coverage or ability to pay. While the majority of those served qualify for and have Medicaid, those without insurance also need help.
You can ensure that no one needs to wait for coverage to get the help they need by giving to the VOA Hope Center.
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Learn about the VOA Hope Center at
voachespeake.org/voa-hope-center
or click the button below.
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Make a gift to give health to all at
voachespeake.org/health4all
or click the button below.
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MLK Day of Service at Lexington Market
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We want to thank Lexington Market and Tio G's Empanadas & Latin Kitchen in Baltimore for partnering with us on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to host a Day of Service for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness!
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Throughout the day, individuals and families made their way to Lexington Market's newly developed location off North Paca Street where they received winter hats, warm socks, hand warmers, toiletries and information from our organization and other local service providers. Nicholle Granger, our Executive Director of Fundraising & Development, had a great time sharing about VOACC's services.
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Gerdyn Mojica, owner of Tio G’s, is a big believer in building community, amplifying local voices and giving back to those in need. That’s why creating opportunities to provide warm and healthy meals to those most in need is an important part of Tio G’s community engagement efforts. On MLK Day, visitors enjoyed tasty pulled pork, roasted chicken, meat and cheese empanadas, salad, fruit and more.
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If your organization or company is interested in creating memorable engagement opportunities for your staff and make a lasting impact in the community, consider joining our Corporate Year of Service program!
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From all of us at Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas, thank you for being a Beacon of Hope to those most in need by getting involved with Adopt a Family!
VOACC’s Adopt a Family program gives hope to many local children and families in need across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia and the Carolinas.
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Adopt a Family relies on the generosity of sponsors – either individuals, families, teams, organizations, and/or businesses – who commit to adopting a single family or multiple families.
Then, the sponsor purchases and provides holiday gifts for each child in the family/families, as well as a special holiday meal for the family to enjoy.
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This Holiday season we were proud to support 50 families, thanks to the generosity of 28 individual and corporate donors.
If you are interested in learning more about VOACC's work in your area or partnering with us again in 2023, please contact Christle Baker-Gill at
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Join us for the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) Youth Mental Health Expo 2023 presented by Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas, the Prince George’s County Health Department, the Bowie State University Graduate Student Association, and Step Forward. This second annual expo is the only one of its kind dedicated to youth mental health in Prince George's County.
Bowie State University
Leonidas S. James Physical Education Complex
14000 Jericho Park Rd | Bowie, MD 20715
Saturday | April 29
9:30AM – 3:30PM
The G.O.A.T. Expo will showcase all aspects of health and wellness through systems of care, offer workshops, and provide linkages to providers and resources to help transition-aged youth and their caregivers reach their health and wellness goals. Last year’s expo welcomed over 300 youth and families.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Exhibitors
- Workshops
- Live Entertainment
- Interactive Activities
- Open Mic
- Dance Contest
- & More
To learn more, register, become a sponsors, or become an exhibitor visit thegoatexpo.com or click the button below:
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Did Santa Bring You A New Car This Year?
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Then there’s ‘snow’ reason to let your old car hibernate in the driveway when the proceeds from your vehicle donation can help the mission of VOACC!
Call 833-300-5737
We’ll handle the rest! Donating is easy, the pick-up is free, and your gift is tax-deductible.
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Need To Return Some Gifts?
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If you find yourself online sending back those "unwanted" gifts this year, and picking out what you really wanted, you can support people in need by completing your shopping through Amazon Smile using these 3 easy steps.
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Using your Amazon account login at smile.amazon.com
- Select "Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas"
- Start shopping!
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Volunteers of America Chesapeake
& Carolinas
General inquiries: contactus@voaches.org
Maryland, DC & Virginia
7901 Annapolis Road
Lanham, MD 20706
(301) 459-2020
North & South Carolina
207 Commons Blvd
Durham, NC 27704
(800) 646-2828
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©2023 Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas- All Rights Reserved. We are designated tax-exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Your contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law
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