Much more than a shelter, organization eager to grow under Williams

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Jerome Williams admitted that he didn’t know much about Coordinated Assistance Ministries (CAM) when he applied for the director’s position. He had met his predecessor Deanine Smith at a coaching class at Indiana Wesleyan University a couple years earlier, but his takeaway from that interaction was that CAM was just a drop-in shelter.

So, when the executive director’s position opened, he figured it was something he could do.

“I thought, ‘That doesn't sound like a bad job,’” said Williams. “The nonprofit does great things.”

Williams quickly discovered that the position was multifaceted, and many of the needs of the organization fell within his skill set. The books needed attention. He has a Master’s degree in accounting. CAM didn’t have a human resources officer. He has experience in that field as well.

Then came the roof leak.

“The roof literally was coming down,” said Williams. “It was my first week. And then we had a lot of random stuff, like plumbing issues. It's taken me six months to understand this part of the job, and to understand the services, understand the community.”

Digging into an organization and figuring out how it ticks is Williams’ specialty. As an organizational management accountant, he discovers how a business works; where the money goes and how each dollar affects operations.

What he found at CAM was an organization on solid footing that needed to take the next step.

“In any business, you have your start-up phase, then you kind of have that second level where you're stable,” said Williams. “You have a growth stage, and then you have that level where you're established. Now, you're trying to build the legacy of the business

“That's where I thought we were, but we're really still in that second level. The idea is to get to the next level. The day-to-day operations are good, so now we're looking to grow, expand, and build within the community.”

Williams credited the decades of work invested by Smith and founder Ruth Lawson in getting CAM to where it is, calling their efforts “amazing.” But he needs the community to see that the organization is much more than just a shelter.

“When people compare us to, like, the Kokomo Rescue Mission, I'm like, no, that's a very small piece of what we are,” said Williams. “We’re a network. Our day clients may be homeless when they come in, but we have services for them.”

CAM’s Family Hope Center, where families can receive temporary aid as they regain their stability.

Williams pointed to CAM’s payee program as an example. By helping people manage their finances, the organization currently keeps 50 people housed and functional. It also manages permanent supportive housing for 17 individuals. And it assists disabled individuals with a variety of services, including transportation and food.

“These are services that they may not have with Medicaid or Medicare,” said Williams. “We’re very supportive. We have a case worker who will go out and meet with them to make sure that they have what they need.”

CAM also works with individuals to develop life skills. Finding employment sits at the top of that list, as does managing finances. Getting a job isn’t enough if the person doesn’t understand the need to save money for the next bill. Williams himself gets involved with the payee program because of his background.

“We help them fill out their SNAP application,” said Williams. “We help them with Social Security, with the Kokomo Housing Authority, with a lot of things. If they don't understand it, we help them out. We use our resources to connect them and to build relationships so we can help them in their time of need.”

When it comes to financial literacy, the payee program comes into play. The client assigns CAM responsibility for their finances. When the client’s checks arrive, CAM establishes a budget, guides the clients through household expenses, and even provides a daily allowance.

“They are great people, but they cannot handle their money,” said Williams. “Sometimes, it's a mental health issue. Sometimes, it’s addiction. It could be a lot of things, but whatever the reasons are, we try not to be judgmental. We want to help them.

“Sometimes, they just want their money, so we go through their budget with them. We talk them down. We show them if they start saving instead of taking the money, they'll have the money when they actually need it.”

Through generous grants and donations, CAM operates Howard County Connect, providing transportation to hundreds of people a year.

CAM currently serves about 60 clients a day. They may need hygiene items or food. Or they may need transportation after the city trolley system shuts down for the day or over the weekend. CAM offers more than 360 rides a month – 20,000 miles a year. They may need life skills. They may need a clean outfit for a job interview. They may need identification documents. Or they may need temporary housing. CAM helps provide all of this.

Williams quickly learned how important CAM’s services are to the community. They are in the business of building citizens while others turn their backs or even make things more difficult. To those who haven’t taken the time to understand the people and their needs, Williams issued a challenge.

“Please, come in and and talk to them,” said Williams. “You’ll see that they are human and realize that they're actually trying.

“We had a lady call, and she was just like, ‘Oh, I was told that you guys have people who will come and clean a house.’ And I'm like, ‘No, we don't really have anybody that does that.’ She said, ‘Well, if they're not working, they should come and do it anyways.’

“We ask our clients to get a job within two weeks of being here, and we help them get the job. They are working. Just because they are here does not mean that they are homeless. It just means they are transitioning to their next phase.”

Unfortunately, things are changing and not for the better. While CAM hasn’t yet lost any grant funding due to changes at the state or federal levels, its clients are feeling the changes. Applications for assistance are being denied. The processing of claims and applications is slowing. Options to help people back onto their feet are fading.

“So, now we're trying to figure out how to come up with programs that could bring in money to help support them,” said Williams. “You don't have to think of us as just a shelter. We can serve where there are unmet needs. And if we can't help them, we can point them in the right direction.”

Williams feels that expansion may help. He envisions opening satellite offices in Kokomo and nearby communities. He believes a comprehensive network of assistive services could better capture resources and clients in need. Beyond that, he is open to suggestions. But he clings to one truth: CAM is here to serve.

“You can keep coming here, and you can keep getting help, and we're going to keep our arms open to you,” said Williams.

Coordinated Assistance Ministries is a 501c(3) nonprofit, operating in Kokomo and Howard County. It offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information about the organization and its services, call 765-452-8963 or visit www.camhope.org.