It takes a village

  DAVE HILL/Daily Bruin Senior Staff The Salvation Army’s
Transition Village, across from the Federal Building on Sepulveda
Boulevard, houses people who need help making the transition from
homeless shelters to living on their own.

By Monique Simpson
Daily Bruin Reporter

A small apartment complex lies approximately eight blocks
southwest of UCLA, at the corner of Sepulveda and Wilshire
Boulevard.

To passers-by, it may look like a typical Southern California
apartment building ““ children riding scooters, flowers lining
the entranceway and the sun shining brightly in the background. But
inside the security gates, families are learning the skills needed
to live a better life.

The Salvation Army Westwood Transition Village is a housing
program assisting homeless and veteran families in developing the
tools to live on their own.

“We work with families coming out of shelters who have
been down on their luck,” said Mary Williams, an
administrative assistant.

“We give them two years to come learn life skills, save
money, and get situated,” she continued.

The transition from living in a homeless shelter to an apartment
is not always easy. Some adults find difficulty in securing a job
to pay the rent and managing money. Children often have trouble
adjusting to the new environment. But with The Village’s
assistance and families, the transition becomes smoother.

The Village was originally created in 1991 and consisted of 15
mobile homes. In October 1999, it expanded into a 40-apartment
complex, complete with a laundry facility, children’s play
area and a community center.

Residents now live in fully furnished apartments which cost
between $355 and $537. The cost is lower than the average Westwood
apartment in an effort to help residents save money needed to move
out of the Village and into independent living.

But some residents are having trouble achieving this goal.

“I haven’t managed to save anything,” said
Maureen Beeks, a Village resident. “The money I get goes to
bills and rent.”

Beeks, 35, pays $456 ““ about 40 percent of her
income per month ““ for a three-bedroom apartment she
shares with her three children.

In February, Beeks became one of the first residents of the new
complex. She was referred to the Village by her previous transition
village. After writing a short essay on what she could bring to the
Village and interviewing with caseworkers, Beeks was accepted to
the program.

“The only thing I had to bring was myself and
clothing,” she said.”I thought it was
fantastic.”

Recently, paying the rent and bills has become more difficult
because Beeks lost her job. For 18 years, she has worked in
healthcare assisting elderly people. Her last job ended in
September, when her patient died.

“You don’t realize how incredibly hard it is until
you don’t have income coming in,” Beeks said.

But the Village’s food service is helping Beeks through
this rough period. Twice a month, community organizations donate
bags of food to the residents. In addition, the Village has a
pantry available for residents.

“Whenever I run out of something, a caseworker takes me to
the pantry and I get what I need,” she said.

The Village offers several other services and programs.

Every Thursday, a licensed psychologist is available to meet and
talk with residents. Four hours a weeks, residents must attend life
skills class, where they learn a variety of helping information
ranging from parenting techniques to managing money. They also
learn skills needed to get a job, such as interviewing tips and
creating a resume.

One additional service Beeks has taken advantage of is the
on-site medical clinic.

Every other week, UCLA medical interns treat residents for
health problems and concerns. Beeks used the clinic to help treat
her 14 month-old daughter who suffers from Down’s
Syndrome.

“My daughter gets sick a lot,” Beeks said.
“They checked her over and gave her some
antibodies.”

Beeks plans to visit the clinic herself soon.

Another major service offered is child care through The
Salvation Army Bessie Pregerson Child Care Center, located next
door to the Village. The Center offers daycare for residents’
children, ages 3-5 years old.

“If parents qualify, we serve them for seven hours free
and up to 11 hours per day for $25 a week,” said Holly
Gillespie, childcare director at the Center and UCLA alumna.

Although the Center works closely with the Village, their
service is open to low-income parents in the surrounding community,
including UCLA students.

“Most students fall into (the low-income category) because
they are on loans and loans don’t count as income,”
Gillespie said.

One unique aspect of the Center is its “creative
curriculum.” Unlike traditional education, teachers do not
pre-select student’s daily agenda.

“We don’t have children sit down and do a specific
activity,” Gillespie said. “They get to choose what
activities they do.”

Within each activity, students are still able to learn the
curriculum, and Gillespie said the freedom of selecting activities
empowers students.

In addition, the creative curriculum allows the staff to better
evaluate each child and create projects especially for their
needs.

“If the staff sees the children aren’t getting the
color system, they create more color activities,” Gillespie
said.

Because many of the students are coming out of “chaotic
situations” and have never been in childcare before,
Gillespie and the staff try to create a warm and welcoming
environment. Children’s artwork is hung throughout the Center
and children feel comfortable asking staff members to read them
books.

For older children, the Village provides a computer lab and
tutoring assistance.

“Coming off the streets and shelters, they have to get
back in the school mode,” Williams said.

“School on Wheels,” a non-profit organization offers
free tutoring every weekday. Students simply have to go to the
community center after school to receive help. Three of the tutors
are current Village residents who were specially trained to help
the children.

But tutoring is not limited to the young. Several of the older
residents also take advantage of the tutoring and computer lab.

“Tutoring is for any age,” said case manager Vincent
Brown. “If they are willing to learn, tutors are willing to
sit down with them.”

Brown assists residents with their education, such as getting
their GED or enrolling in vocational classes. In addition, he helps
them find employment with the city, state and other agencies.

By working closely with the residents, Brown said he takes the
job personally.

“I take the job home,” Brown said. When he is out,
he often finds himself picking up job applications for the
residents and seeing how the Village can benefit from various
people he comes into contact with.

With the beginning of the new year, Beeks is optimistic about
the future.

She is looking forward to buying a house when she leaves the
Village next year. Beeks has already begun taking the steps needed
to make this dream a reality.

At the Village, she has attended workshops on first time
house-buying and credit counseling. Soon, she plans to enroll in
computer classes, possibly at Santa Monica Community College.

“(I’m going) back to school to get the skills I need
for a better career,” Beeks said.

In the meantime, Beeks and her family are generally happy with
the time they’ve spent at the Village. Her children have made
new friends and Beeks has become a part of a close community.

“Once you get over the flaws, it’s a fantastic place
to live,” Beeks said.