loan settlement

Meet Ms. Jones. She recently emailed our Homelessness Department, requesting housing assistance. Her story is heartbreaking and, sadly, far more common than you can ever imagine.

"I need help with housing. I moved to Atlanta last spring to live with a family member. When I arrived, another family member and I didn't get along well at all. They left me in their home, cut off the water and the lights, and threw away all of the food to try to push me out. I have health problems, get around with the help of a walker, and I have nowhere to go. Please help!"

After hearing Ms. Jones' story, our Director of Homelessness, Tyana Mizell, called Adult Protective Services and issued a report of elder abuse, advising law enforcement of the situation and asking them to perform a welfare check. She continued to seek an alternative housing placement for Ms. Jones; however, due to her advanced age and mobility issues, it was proving difficult to find a suitable arrangement.

Ms. Mizell left work that Friday evening to visit with Ms. Jones. She took her a hot meal, helped her do some things around the house, and prayed with her. She let Ms. Jones know that Adult Protective Services was engaged, and they were all working together to find somewhere for her to be placed as soon as possible.

On Sunday morning, as Ms. Mizell was getting ready for church, a rapid series of texts, one right after the other, came into our case management line. It was Ms. Jones reaching out again. She had been receiving threatening text messages from her family members, and she was scared for her safety. Tyana immediately called 9-1-1 and asked them to go out and do another welfare check.

Ms. Jones was transported to Grady Hospital that morning. Ms. Mizell began working with the hospital social worker and local law enforcement to ensure that Ms. Jones was not discharged to homelessness as she had no other family or friends willing to support her and no income to support herself.

Upon her release from Grady, we were able to place Ms. Jones in a domestic violence shelter.  She continues to receive case management services through Frontline Response, and she is nearing permanent placement. She has received her housing voucher, and her SSI benefits are scheduled to begin soon, as well. Her weight check upon arrival at Grady Hospital was 103 lbs., and we are happy to report, praise the Lord, that she is now a much healthier 133 lbs. 

Thanks to the lifesaving work of Frontline Response and other partnering agencies, Ms. Jones is now living with purpose and is no longer afraid of what tomorrow might bring. With the text messages saved on her phone as evidence, Ms. Jones' family member was subsequently arrested and charged with elder abuse.

Abuse can happen to anyone, including senior citizens. Did you know that ...

• Every five seconds an elderly person is abused?
• 90 percent of elder abuse cases are perpetrated by trusted individuals, such as family members?
• An estimated 5 million seniors suffer from abuse each year?
• If the proportion of elder abuse remains constant, there will be approximately 320 million victims by 2050?

If you witness any type of elder abuse, or even suspect it, be sure to call 9-1-1 or contact Adult Protective Services.

Frontline Response has a goal of raising $200,000 by December 31st, the average cost of 50 more rescues. With your faithful support, we will continue to help individuals like Ms. Jones and offer them hope for a much brighter future. 

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Thank you for caring!
The Frontline Response Team