The mission of CHOC (Community Homeless Outreach Center) is to provide safe, secure, short-term emergency shelter to homeless adults residing in Montgomery County.
CHOC opened in 2005. “I arrived in April of 2004 to prepare for the opening,” Genny O’Donnell said. O’Donnell, director of CHOC, worked at Project Home prior to coming to CHOC. “I had the opportunity to visit a lot of different cities and geographic locations,” O’Donnell said. “ I helped them to figure out better and different ways of serving those homeless.
O’Donnell was invited to consider opening CHOC. She declined at first. “I ultimately said yes because it was an opportunity to see if my talk actually worked,” O’Donnell said. CHOC was a project that needed to be started from the bottom up. “I felt ready and prepared,” O’Donnell said.
CHOC strives for collaborative relationships that promote an individual’s recovery. The program reaches out to families living on the streets or at risk of becoming homeless. “We reach out to people living on the streets and bring them inside,” O’Donnell said.
The program looks towards the community at a large, those including churches, schools, businesses, and the general public. “Without the community’s support and partnerships the people we serve are isolated,” O’Donnell said. “Without the community’s support or encouragement, the people the program serves won’t come out.”
Therefore, there is never a typical day at CHOC. “I can probably best describe CHOC as a roller coaster,” O’Donnell said. “The climb to the top is hard. But the view once you reach the top is spectacular, just hold on for the fall.” There are times of excitement when people are getting ready to leave. Friendships and bonds are created, “which can be truly live changing,” O’Donnell said.
Other times are more of a struggle; people are lashing out of anger, frustration, hurt or some other emotion that can be destructive to themselves. “During these times tough decisions have to be made,” O’Donnell said. On top of all this comes the planning, budgeting, grant writing, and visioning that takes place. “There are actual goals and outcome measures we strive for that consist assisting people,” O’Donnell said.
CHOC, serves the homeless in helping increase their incomes, accept behavioral health treatment, and affording housing. “In addition to moving forward, we move forward in regard to our position,” O’Donnell said. “We deal with a larger service project, that deals with funding trends, and budget cuts.”
“The experience overall is personally enriching, personally and professionally challenging, and truly inspiring,” O’Donnell said. “In all honesty, at times, it can be a bit scary and frustrating.”
Before she learned of CHOC, she had befriended a man at Project Home who she deeply admired and respected who came up with the original vision. They trusted her to establish the center with the same heart, vision, concern and appreciation for the people they serve.
“That, in and of itself, makes this work a privilege,” O’Donnell said.
