Thursday 24 July 2008
by: Naomi R. Patton, The Detroit Free Press
Detroit center helps women in move from homelessness.
Diamon Amos grew up middle class with a pretty good life.
She graduated from King High School in 2006. She attended Wayne State University for a year, working two jobs at a restaurant and a shoe store.
"I never thought I'd end up in a shelter," said Amos, now 20 and living at Alternatives for Girls -- the only shelter in southeast Michigan for homeless young women ages 15 to 21. She is among hundreds of girls the southwest Detroit shelter has served since it opened in 1987.
"I like being here, but I don't want to stay here," Amos said about AFG, which she learned about from a woman at her church. Amos wants to return to college and become a social worker.
For now, however, she is among thousands of homeless young women in their late teens and early 20s nationwide who -- never a part of the foster care system -- find themselves on the streets without dedicated resources to help them.
"It's life-and-death stuff," said Amanda Good, AFG cofounder, president and chief executive officer, about the young women who leave dangerous or violent homes, poor homes, or because of family conflict.
Nan Roman, president and chief executive officer of the Washington-base
One of the biggest problems facing this largely female demographic is that there are few shelters or agencies in Detroit or elsewhere in Michigan that are licensed by the state to house minors not accompanied by their parents.
"This should not be left to the homeless agencies," Roman said. "The homeless system is underfunded."
Good said AFG relies on vital support from groups like the Skillman Foundation and the McGregor Fund, but the economy means local, state and federal funding and fund-raising are "very lean." A few years ago, AFG received as much as $250,000 in federal block grant funding; this year it was $67,000.
"The need is overwhelming," she said.
Residents stay at the shelter from a couple of months in the short-term program to 18 months in the long-term program. The daily routine typically involves attendance at Transition to Independent Living class, where the girls learn how to create a resume, job hunt, pay bills and parent. Secondary school-age residents are required to attend school or get their GEDs.
"The message is, you have to be able to support yourself in a legal and safe way," Good said. "It's a culture of progress and adhering to goals."
Antonique White, 20, was relentless, calling to get into AFG for months. She dropped out of Murray-Wright High School months before her scheduled 2006 graduation and admittedly was "rebellious" with her mother.
"I just wish I would have listened," White said.
The mother of 1-year-old Jaiden and expecting another child in August, White has lived at the shelter for five months. Inspired by her stay, she now wants to go to college to become a social worker.
"Being here helps you stay focused," White said. "I want to get my GED ... get a job ... do something with my life."
