Homeless, but not Hopeless

Larry Mainor, veteran in Atlanta, left the armed forces and spent years on the streets. He had no home, food, or money, but one thing he did have was drugs. He is not the only one though, Minor is one of hundreds of homeless veterans and other homeless people in Atlanta. No need to worry though, they are now being helped by an Atlanta initiative aimed towards getting people off the streets and in their own homes. The city has already found homes for over 700 people including Mainor. He says, “I just got sick and tired of living a life of drugs and alcohol.”

               According to a point- in- time count in January, there are 6,000 hopeless people live in metro Atlanta. Atlanta’s “Unsheltered No More” initiative is focused first and foremost on getting the homeless off the streets and then providing them with any services and other help they may need. Last year, the city partnered with the 100,000 Homes Campaign to try to house 100 people in 100 days, their goal was beaten with 131 homeless people sheltered. Many of the people housed though the city’s recent initiatives were found through a volunteer- driven homeless registry created in January. The registry serves to identify and prioritize the city’s most vulnerable citizens for housing.

               As for Mainor, he’s overcome his alcohol and drug addictions. He says "Instead of me trying to find some drugs and alcohol when I wake up in the morning-time, now when I wake up in the morning-time, I can think about the positive things in life.  It tells me that Larry is somebody now. It tells me that the last four years of trying to live a normal life is paying off." He is building off skills to be a cook in the military, Mainor recently graduated from Atlanta Technical College’s culinary arts program, where he also me his fiancée. The two are now making pkans to open a bakery and catering business.