CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Jahad Williams is like many 11-year-old children. He wakes up in the morning just in time to rush out the door and catch his school bus. However, when Williams gets to class, his motivation to succeed is different. Williams, unlike many of his sixth grade classmates, is homeless.
"The way things were going at home, just made me want to do better in school, so it would never happen when I grow up," Williams said.
Jahad Williams says being homeless made him want to do better in school.
Williams' family was evicted from their apartment after his parents lost their jobs. They spent most of 2014 hopping between cheap motels, wondering if they'd survive.
"It makes you feel like a failure as a parent," Jahad’s mom Deandra said.
When motels grew too expensive, Jahad’s family ended up at a downtown Richmond shelter called HomeAgain. There they quickly found out HomeAgain was not a typical homeless shelter.
HomeAgain’s Child Services Coordinator Jolinda Underwood said the shelter is trying a new approach to keep people, especially children, off the streets.
Based on enrollment data from school districts in the metro area, Richmond Public Schools had 1,757 students without a permanent place to live last school year, Chesterfield had 703 students and Henrico had 894 homeless students.
"People would not imagine their child’s peer in their school going home to a shelter every day or living in a car, living in a street," Underwood said.
Underwood said HomeAgain helps families buy time to get their lives back in order. Rather than have people stay in normal shelters, Jahad’s family lives in Chesterfield County in a transitional home.
They are the first of 12 homeless families about to pick a place to live anywhere in Central Virginia.
Here's how it works.
HomeAgain goes to the landlord and asks to put the lease in the organization's name. HomeAgain pays the rent and utilities for a year.
By the end of the year, the lease is turned over to the family; with the landlord forgiving their credit and rental history. That only happens if the family has secured a steady job.
"Families can have a sense of stability, which is really important. We know that it helps children to thrive in school, with their socialization skills," Underwood said.
Underwood said HomeAgain wants to make sure children are not in a position to repeat the cycle.
Tariq Muhammad's success story
In 2010 Tariq Muhammad and his family lived in HomeAgain's traditional homeless shelter. There, counselors made sure he remained in school and even helped him with college applications.
Tariq Muhammad is working toward a career in medicine.
Muhammad is now enrolled at Virginia State University. He is working toward a career in medicine. He has not forgotten where he was at this time just four years ago.
"We had to sleep outside, eat outside, use public restroom," Muhammad said. "One time, my mother had to ask someone for change to get on the bus. It broke my heart."
Back at home with Jahad
Jahad’s parents said they were grateful their situation did not result with them sleeping on the streets. They said they are trying to make the most of this unique opportunity with HomeAgain.
While his father looks for work, his mother is taking classes.
Jahad Williams said he was happy he no longer feels he has to lie to friends about why he could not go out to play.
"My friends from school, I used to go outside with them. I would say, I’m never home and they would ask why and I wouldn't tell them," Jahad said.
HomeAgain served more than 400 people this year through its five programs, Underwood said. She said HomeAgain would decide if its transitional home program should expand after they assess the success rate of families currently enrolled.
The money to fund this program comes from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
