Success Stories

Eugene Henry, 63, wears a crisp suit and carries a briefcase in hand at all times. His friends and family call him "Bubby." He's an older gentleman with grandkids and a twinkle in his eye. Mr. Henry arrived at Gateway in December 2013 and, although he was in a new and unfamiliar place, he had an air of confidence that I would come to know as characteristic. What I did not know at the time, however, was what Mr. Henry kept inside that briefcase of his ... "Trophies," he calls them. Momentos from the past: awards, letters, and, most notably, a photocopy of a wanted sign featuring a younger-looking version of himself. The photograph is worn, but his likeness is undeniable. Could this really be the Bubby Henry we've all come to know and love at GWC? Eugene spent 17 years in Federal Prison before coming to Gateway. And although he made some big changes during his time in prison, Eugene found himself on the streets with nowhere to go for several days before he sought out Gateway Center's help. "I'm not the same person I was when I went in," he explains during our interview, "I dug deep into myself and when I came to Gateway, I made a conscious decision to help other people." Eugene did help people. He was quickly recognized by his case manager as a role model for other clients and was promoted to Resident Assistant--helping our case management team and mentoring his peers. Eventually, he rose to "Resident Intern" and began working with staff and gaining customer service skills. Mr. Henry was respectful and always went out of his way to be kind to those who needed his help. While we spoke, Mr. Henry began to pull out pages from his briefcase and lay them carefully before me on the table. Certificates of achievement, letters of recommendation, and even an award given him by the Speaker's Bureau for his role debunking stereotypes about homelessness in Atlanta, one story at a time.

"These are trophies to me. I want to frame them and put them on the wall of my new apartment. Sure, maybe they didn't come from Georgia State, Emory University, or Harvard, but it means so much to me. I carry them around to remind me of where I've been ... And where I want to go."

Eugene was a mentor before he arrived at Gateway and continues to mentor others on their journey long after. He often returns to Gateway to volunteer and help out at the front desk. About Gateway he says, "Gateway is a special place. I wanted to have my own key to my own apartment. Now I have both." Congratulations Mr. Henry. We couldn't be more proud!

"What do you wish people knew about you?" I asked Oriel McCarthy upon meeting him. "My talent. My ingenuity. My perseverance... That's more than one." He said without missing a beat. I realize now, after getting to know Oriel McCarthy during our interview, that his talent, his ingenuity, and his perseverance (perhaps most of all) are the qualities that define him. Because of Mr. McCarthy's talent, ingenuity, and perseverance, he was able to overcome every obstacle in his path. "I started from the bottom and now I'm half-way there," he told me. "I couldn't have done it without Gateway." Oriel McCarthy was born in Jamaica in 1963, but moved to the United States via New York City with his family when he was 12 years old. He attended school in Brooklyn, where he spent his most formative years, but left New York in 2006 for Atlanta. "Things were good for me when I first started," he explained, "but I caught a charge in Atlanta in 2009 and was then incarcerated. When I got out 5 years later in March of 2014, I wound up being homeless." Oriel, like so many young men and women, found himself lost, alone and without resources after being released from prison. He began living on the streets for several months, sleeping frequently in an abandoned house in East Point. Oriel also has a mental health diagnosis, which increased the strain put upon him during this time. Luckily, Mr. McCarthy had a counselor who, after learning his story, referred him to the Gateway Center. GWC, unfortunately, has only a finite number of program beds available each weekday morning and space is highly coveted. Each day a line begins outside our doors around 4am and continues until 7am when program intake officially begins. Oriel, being the tenacious soul he is, waited in line for 4 days in a row at 5am each day before finally making it into a program spot on the 5th day. "Thank God Amanda and Kayla [Assessment Case Managers] made the decision to give me a chance," he said. Since coming to Gateway, Oriel McCarthy's life has turned a corner. He describes his experience at the Gateway Center as a positive learning experience. In his words:

"People cared about me here. Amanda [Case Manager] has been real good with me. She's worked with me. At first all I had was my green card and birth certificate. Since I arrived here I've got my state ID and I got a job. Everyone's been so positive with me. I have a lot of appreciation for Gateway because if it wasn't for this place, I wouldn't be on my feet--or even half-way there."

Mr. McCarthy was hired by a Jamaican restaurant on MLK and has already gotten a raise. He's a hard working man--always going above and beyond what is asked of him, even during his time at the Gateway Center.

"I was doing a lot of chores and caring hours because I wanted to give back. I used to put in--what was required? 4 hours?--I was giving 12 hours a week. I appreciated that there was food on my table, a roof over my head, and clothes on my back. In society you have to work for these things, so I felt the least I could do was show my appreciation and give back. I did what I had to do and the light opened up at the end of the tunnel."

Today, with the help of his Case Manager, Amanda Van Dalen, Oriel McCarthy is in affordable housing at the Welcome House, but he has his sights set even higher . . .

"I have a bank account now and my goal is to save enough to get my own apartment. I would like someday to be able to volunteer my time and come back to help the rest of the people here. I want to get a car and travel to see my family in NYC because I miss them a lot. Someday I might start my own business. I feel good about my positive direction and intentions. I started from the bottom and now I'm half-way there."

We couldn't be more proud of you, Mr.McCarthy! Your Gateway family is rooting for you every step of the way!

This morning, I received a lovely note from one of our staff members who has been with the Gateway Center for many years. This is the story of a young woman who experienced a transformation thanks to the dedication of our staff. I hope Tina's story inspires you as much as it has inspired us here at GWC! In the words of Ms. Gloria Brewer, Client Service Aid: I ran into a former client on the westbound MARTA Train Tuesday night, March 17, 2015.  This young lady's name is Tina and she was in the Women and Children's Program on the main floor at Gateway several years ago before Gateway was converted into an all men's residential center. This young lady was in her early 20's at the time and was going through some hardship; struggling with her identity and the challenges that come with being a young adult.   She was unemployed, very opinionated, and frustrated about her living conditions. Tina was a very difficult and troubled young lady.  She was a person who didn't like following the protocols that were required of the women who were seeking assistance from Gateway. Mrs. Sandra Austell--a Client Service Aid who worked on the 1st floor in the Women and Children's Program--befriended this young lady. Ms. Austell was able to get Tina to listen and respect those who were working so diligently on her behalf to help end her homelessness situation. After, counseling, and being mentored by Ms. Austell,  Tina began to change her disposition and her attitudes toward the staff in the Women and Children's area. Thanks to Ms. Austell, Tina left Gateway with a new and  positive attitude toward life. On March 17th when I ran into Tina on the Westbound train, I saw a new and improved beautiful looking young woman.  She looked so happy, energetic, and full of life--not at all like the young woman I had met several years ago in the Women and Children Center refusing to cooperate with staff. Tina shared with me while on the train that she is now working for CDC. I was so impressed how beautiful and professional she looked! Tina told me to be sure that I tell Ms. Sandra Austell that she is doing well and is working for CDC. When I arrived to work that night, I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to tell Ms. Austell the exciting news regarding her success. Ms. Beal, I share this story with you because this is one of the many stories that I hear everyday.  The wonderful work that the staff here at Gateway does everyday in helping to change the lives of those who are experiencing homelessness. Please continue to share the stories of the clients and please include the staff and their dedications in helping to end homelessness. Thank you, Ms. Brewer, for sharing Tina's story! And a huge thank you (now and always) to Sandra Austell and all of our amazing staff here at GWC who work so hard every day to change lives and end homelessness for each and every person who walks through our doors.

By: Sophie Beal Michael came to Gateway Center only 4 months ago after struggling with chronic homelessness and mental illness all his life. But at 43 years old, Michael came to Gateway Center and discovered a loving and supportive environment that changed everything. With the support of his case manager and close friends at Gateway, Michael has been in therapy, taking medication, and on a path to recovery. But that's not all... Throughout his therapy, Michael began to write about his experiences with homelessness and Bipolar Dissociative Disorder--and in so doing discovered an incredible gift. In this video Michael shares a poem with us written about his experience with mental illness. A deeply religious man, Michael came to understand his struggles with Dissociative Disorder as a struggle between God and the Devil. His emotional poem, "Blind Right Now" agitates us to a deeper understanding of mental illness, homelessness, and ourselves. Thank you Michael for sharing! We are so grateful. Michael really wanted to include his best friend, Will Oliver in his interview. He and Will (pictured below) have a special bond and have helped push one another to be their best selves while at Gateway. It goes to show that Gateway is a community. We change lives and end homelessness every day, but we can't do it alone. Join our community! Follow Gateway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and/or sign up for our monthly Newsletter. Learn all the ways that YOU can help change lives and end homelessness in your community!

By: Sophie Beal Fredrick Payne (known by most as Fred) is an incredible and dedicated human being. He arrived at Gateway as a client, rose in the ranks, was hired, and quickly became one of our most valuable employees. Today, Fred is our 3rd Floor CSA, but is always willing to help out wherever he is most needed. Now that our Summer Interns' time with Gateway Center has come to an end, our 1st Floor Client Engagement Center requires extra help to compensate. Fred has not missed a beat--stepping up and helping our Lead CSA, Esque, to provide each person who walks through our door with the highest quality care. Fred approaches each new client interaction with patience and steady calm, often offering much needed advice and words of wisdom. During our interview, Fred was approached constantly and hardly had a moment to catch his breath long enough to answer my questions. He told one woman who was discouraged with her situation, "We all get tired, but we just can't give up." Thank you for your hard work, Fred! You've earned that trophy.   Where are you from? I’m originally from Atlanta, by way of California. I moved back to Atlanta when I was about 12-13 years old. Where did you go to school and what did you study? I went to Atlanta College of Business and graduated, then went to Georgia State and graduated with a degree in Management, and then went to Russ Institute and studied Security.   What led you to Gateway? I actually found the Gateway Center through one bought of homelessness that I went through over a weekend. I went to Peters Street. And one of the guys over there came up to me and said “You don’t belong here. This does not fit you. You need to go to Gateway.” I went to Gateway, entered the program, and eventually graduated. I was hired by Gateway and today I'm the 3rd Floor CSA. What inspires you most in your job? Helping people. Seeing them come back and acknowledge that I helped them in some way. That’s the best thing about it. When I see a client who was here once and they come back to remind me of what I did for them—that’s my reward. What is the hardest part of your job? Not being able to help someone in the way that they need help. Having to tell them no. One of the hardest parts was when I worked in the women’s and children’s center and they’d come in at 10:30 p.m. with children and we didn’t have space, so we had to turn them away. When you get discouraged, what keeps you going? Prayer. I have church members I call when I get to that point. Either that or I work out on my music on my keyboard—that lifts me up. What’s one memory of Gateway you’ll always remember? There are many memories I have from Gateway . . . Recently, there was a guy here who was ready to give up, but I talked to him just like I do with all of our clients. What started as a one on one turned into a group session and, low and behold, he listened. He decided to be patient, put the work in, went out there and found a job. Now he’s about to move into his own place. Another memory was when I graduated from the program the clients here threw a party for me. What do you like to do in your free time? I always tell the guys here—I never have any free time. I’m just as busy on the weekends as I am during the week. But when I do have time I watch movies, study, and work on my music. I do gospel, R&B, Jazz (but mainly Gospel). I perform every Sunday at church. Where is your favorite spot in ATL? According to my wife, my kids and my church members, my favorite spot is American Deli—but I think my favorite spot is actually home. If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be? Be patient. Keep focused. Keep the faith. Keep at it. Don’t give up. That’s what I keep telling the guys here. That’s what I’d tell anyone.

By Staci Wright When I first met James Kinard he was 15 minutes early to our meeting and he was alive with energy and soul - even at 8:45 a.m. He had just graduated from Atlanta Area Tech College on May 17 for Heating and Air-Conditioning. I could tell he was so proud and I could not wait to find out more about him. James is originally from a small town in South Carolina where the opportunities were slim. He was going to school for aviation maintenance, as well as working, but he could not seem to escape trouble. He was involved with selling drugs, fighting and shoot-outs, and found himself in and out of jail. He said it felt like he was “…always taking one step forward and being pushed two steps back.” It was not until his mother, Brenda, suffered from a stroke that James decided to turn his life around. He and his mother moved to Atlanta so she could obtain better health care and he could have access to better opportunities. His mother was doing well until Thanksgiving morning when she endured another stroke. Her doctors thought she might not make it but James said his mother was a fighter, and she kept pushing and she kept holding on. James became his mother’s full-time caregiver, even though it was very hard for him to see her suffer. James stuck by his mother’s side until she passed away in 2011. While caring for his mother, his girlfriend at the time was pregnant with their first baby, which she later lost due to a miscarriage. "You know it really hurt me when she lost the baby, then my mother passed away and then my girlfriend broke up with me, then my grandmother passed away," said James. "I lost my job, my apartment, contemplated suicide and broke down and cried and asked God to help me.” James tried to get back on the right track and decided to go back to school for heating and air and held a steady job at a warehouse. When the warehouse shifted to 12 hour work shifts that did not work with his school schedule, he made the tough decision to stick with his education and find an employer willing to work around his school schedule. Though, finding a new job proved to be much more difficult than he imagined and he eventually found himself without an apartment and out of unemployment funds. “I wound up staying with this person and that person, slept in a few people’s cars, went to the airport to sleep and was bouncing back and forth from place to place.” When one place did not work out, he found himself at Gateway Center in March and said it was the best thing he ever did. During his time in the Employment Program, James has held two jobs and was able to continue with his education. “I just kept praying and pushing and before I knew it, graduation day came.” Since being at Gateway, James has saved up enough money to get his driver’s license back, paid all his probation fees, got off probation, acquired affordable health insurance, saved up enough money for a car and is in the process of getting his record expunged. He says “…things are looking up.” His next step is to find a stable place to live that he can call his own and he will begin an apprenticeship program next month in his field. When asked what he has learned through his life experiences, James answers, “One thing I’ve learned is the whole aspect of being humble. Just be humble." In closing, James left me with this final statement. “I just thank God for everything. Anybody out there that’s going through anything, no matter how bad you think it is, just know that God is with you and he always gives you multiple chances. It’s not always as bad as you think it is; a rainbow is coming!” Thank you, James, for sharing your story with me and to the rest of the world.

By Emily Emshoff We are happy to be sharing the success story of Zachary Leach, a previous client at the Gateway Center who was a part of the Veteran's Program and is now stably housed and self-sufficient. Zachary Leach came from Philadelphia to Atlanta in 2009 with the hopes of finding a job as a longshoreman in Savannah, Georgia. When his plans began to veer off course he found himself living in Atlanta longer than planned, with no job and no income. Zach began to live off his unemployment benefits, which lasted for two years. As his source of income began to dwindle, he found himself going down a path that was leading to a life he had never imagined for himself. “I never thought I had a drinking problem. I knew I had a drug problem, but I had stopped doing drugs in 1989. Turns out, I was substituting one drug for another when I turned to alcohol.” After living in an apartment for four months for free, the landlord told him he either had to start paying or leave. “I ended up staying in an abandoned house nearby. My depression set in, and I began to drink more heavily.” After taking advice from one of his friends, Zachary visited the Veteran’s Administration. He told them he was experiencing homelessness and an alcoholic. After visiting a few different shelters, he was referred to the Gateway Center in April 2013 and joined the Veteran's Program. “From the day I walked in the door at Gateway, I did everything they asked of me. I worked hard and eventually became a Residential Assistant. I finally had options for my life.” Zachary began attending school at Cutting Edge and became a certified barber and cosmetologist. After being an RA for seven months, Zach is now self-sufficient. He will be starting his new job as a barber, and he is in the process of moving into a two-bedroom condo downtown. He has also been sober for 11 months. “I can honestly say that Gateway has given me a great life. I no longer smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol; I don’t even eat red meat!” After living on his own for six months, Zach plans to return to Gateway and volunteer. He wants to help people who are in the situation he was once in. Zach says coming to the Gateway Center was the best decision he has ever made. “If you want a new beginning, start here.”