Community Changer: Inner Voice
The first week of August proved uniquely significant at Inner Voice in Chicago. One of the veterans who’d been living at the housing assistance facility for nearly eight months, finally found a permanent residence.
And it was Moving Day.
“This morning was pretty special for me,” Andrew Gaddy, Director of the Veterans Transitional Housing Program at Inner Voice, tells Replate. “Our client has a substance abuse problem, and had been sober for seven years when a family issue caused him to relapse. He started using again, spiraled out of control, and was left in a psychiatric ward. They wouldn’t discharge him until he had a place to stay.”
He adds, “This veteran has been sober since coming here, established a sponsor, and made leaps and bounds in terms of progress. Placing him in a home was pretty special. We made it happen.”
Founded in 1984, Inner Voice provides affordable housing and support services for individuals and families, along with returning citizens and veterans. In addition to a temporary place to stay, the organization offers counseling for substance abuse, financial literacy education, employment assistance, food and nutritional guidance, and support for general needs like replacing lost IDs or obtaining other vital paperwork.
As Gaddy puts it, Inner Voice “puts all the pieces together” in a comprehensive program designed to help those struggling to rebuild their lives. At least 125 men have passed through the veterans home this year alone.
“Some people stay 30 days, others take longer, even a year,” Gaddy explains. “Our goal is six months or less, but some have more going on than others in terms of obstacles they have to overcome.”
Replate delivers weekly food donations to Inner Voice, which Gaddy says allow his veterans to incorporate variety into their diets. Given the average age is 50, the nutritional component is important in helping maintain good health, and overcoming chronic issues.
Often, there’s enough food to share not only internally, but with others in the community. In fact, over the summer, Gaddy and his team were able to donate extra contributions to immigrants seeking asylum at a local police station.
“It helps us connect with the community,” he says. “A lot of people nearby have issues with putting food on the table, and we’re able to go out and provide them with meals.”
For over 40 years, Inner Voice has demonstrated the power of adopting holistic solutions to address complex social problems, many of which form out of systemic negligence. But, as Gaddy points out, no one is immune to hardship.
“Anybody can experience homelessness,” he observes. “I’ve seen ex-pilots, former nurses, all walks of life come through. People have this one picture of what a person who is homeless should be - somebody who doesn’t want to do better - but that’s not the case. Unfortunately, a lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck, and if one thing goes wrong, there can be a domino effect. It’ll land you sleeping in an encampment in a park or under the bridge. I don’t think anyone chooses to be in this position.”
He adds, “We’re helping people who’ve hit a hiccup in their journey of life.”
For more information on Inner Voice, visit their website
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