(ATLANTA, Ga)---- A single mother sits outside a motel on a sidewalk in tears, talking about her journey as a homeless person.
Her 2-year-old son, Sayer, plays in the parking lot on a cold day.
Who is she?
She is Courtney Simon, a 30-year-old native of Atlanta.
Courtney Simon and her son Sayer (Photo Credit: Courtney Simon)
Simon previously stayed at Must Ministries for 30 days. Her experience wasn’t positive, and she was kicked to the curb without a job.
"I mean, you really can't do too much in 30 days,” Simon said. “I really couldn't get it together because they put him (Simon’s son) in school within two and a half weeks. Then once two and a half weeks were up, I only had a week and a half left to look for a job.”
Must Ministries does its best to help those in need. Must Ministries CEO Ike Reighard spoke to OpGov.ai in an exclusive interview.
Reighard clarified that guests are actually given 35 days, not 30.
"It's the federal government's determination," Reighard said. "And it's 35 days that is the max that they will allow us some leeway."
Reighard also detailed the challenges shelters like Must Ministries face when working with the government and other agencies, such as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
"So it's not a Must rule," Reighrad said. It's a HUD rule. "And right now, quite honestly, the most difficult thing that we've got in front of us is what the new administration is doing in Washington."
Reighard uses his position as CEO to fundraise, build relationships with companies that hire the unsheltered, and cast the vision of what Must Ministries does to help its clients.
Seeking employment has been difficult for Simon because she doesn’t trust daycare centers to watch her son. She could get hired by a company and still worry about her son’s care. Simon believed Must Ministries didn’t provide enough support when her time ended.
She wanted the organization to pay for a hotel room or provide a voucher after her 30 days were up, especially since she is a single mother with a child.
This real-time reporter asked Reighard why Simon wasn't provided more assistance after her departure.
"We always try to make the next step," Reighard said. "Obviously, hotel and motel vouchers. That's all based on do we have the funding for it. And we raise a lot of that money through like, churches. And as long as we have money, that's what it's there for. We're going to give it to people to try to help them to be able to bridge."
Must Ministries was founded in 1971. Their mission is to serve our neighbors in need and transform lives and communities in response to Christ’s call.
Must Ministries provides food, clothing, employment assistance, and shelter to its guests.
(Photo Credit: Must Ministries website)
Residents in the community, like Jackie Pippins, have supported Simon.
Pippins learned about Simon’s situation from a friend of hers.
“She was out feeding the homeless or doing Thanksgiving, and she ran into her,” Pippins said. “She told me about I met this single lady, this lady with a child, and they were out in the cold.”
After hearing the story, Pippins stepped in to help Simon and her son. Pippins has supplied food and transportation for the pair.
Simon is grateful for the support she has received.
“Miss Jackie, she supported me a lot,” Simon said. “You know, she paid up for a room for three days for me and my son."
Pippens also provided a stroller for Simon’s son.
Like Simon, Pippens was critical of Must Ministries regarding the 30 days.
“I wish they would do is help them with the next step, not just kick them out because she came with nothing, and then she's leaving with nothing,” Pippens said.
“If they can provide, you know, maybe some kind of housing, or some kind of, some kind of something not to just hold them for 30 days and nothing happens.”
Simon has been homeless for over a decade and was kicked out of her house at 18.
Constantly on the move, she has sought shelter in various locations.
“I have slept in people's cars,” Simon said. “I have slept on the street, slept at playgrounds before my son, I was homeless, you know. I just never had any type of support for me to push it.”
Support was scarce because of Simon’s family structure. It stems from her relationship with her parents.
"We grew up not really having any support from my parents,” Simon said. “They was there, but we never really had the love and the support that they that we needed them to show us.”
Homeless people battle each day to survive. Despite being in an unfavorable position, homeless people like Simon can find silver linings.
Simon has a unique perspective on her situation.
“Being homeless opens our eyes to appreciate the people who were there to help you before you were homeless,” Simon said.” You know, it made me appreciate a lot of things. Like it made me love my son more.”
Simon also has a lot of respect for single mothers.
Raised in the church, being homeless has also strengthened Simon’s spirituality. Simon can lean on her faith through challenging times.
“I feel like God is on my side,” Simon said. “Because when I pray for something, it'll happen."
If you have any additional comments, questions, or concerns, please contact jorden.h@lead4earth.org.
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