Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Benton.
Jasmine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Ever since I could remember I would always write in my journal that I was going to change the world. I have always been an advocate for the underdog and spoke out against injustice. From the kid without lunch money, to the girl that didn’t make the cheerleading team, asking the coach to give her another chance, I have always stood in the gap speaking out and helping others. Creating Home Again is a small seed that is becoming deeply rooted in love and change. After moving to Atlanta in 2015, I found myself surrounded by an inner city of beauty, but at night it turned into something that yearned for love and care. I remember driving along Pine Street on my way to a business meeting and the scenery alone the way was far from beautiful. In high noon on a spring day, I saw men lying along the ground asleep, individuals in crisis, cardboard boxes, uncapped syringes, and sadness in the air. There had to be a story behind this street, and I would later find out that the city was about to shut down one of the largest shelters in the Southeastern part of the United States, Peachtree-Pine Shelter. This street was plagued by poverty, unfortunate circumstances, mental health crisis, and pain. I took a tour of the shelter and my life changed from the day forward.
A month later we hosted our first event on that very street providing over 250 people with food, kits, clothing, sleeping bags, toys, and more. With every event since then, my passion has only grown and the promise I’ve made to myself is to never stop giving. With my full-time job being in human services and case management, I have been able to establish Creating Home Again as a 501(c)3 organization that will advocate and serve the homeless. Our focus is to spread awareness that homelessness is not demographic specific; it can happen to anyone of any gender, race, religion, or age. Many times we take the bare necessities for granted, however, with the current state of the economy in the US, we are all at risk for losing things that are of bare necessity, affordability of housing being at the forefront. We want to confront the unfortunate circumstances that lead to such a journey and understanding their story is the only way to do that.
With every event, we not only give, but we listen in hopes of better understanding such a vulnerable population of men and women. The foundation of the “home” seems to be the root of where it begins. From career, to education, mental health, nutrition, and family structure, we hope to rebuild the strong pillars that create a functional home. This we believe, will prevent homelessness from continuing. A home is not a home if the mind, body, and spirit are not being cared for to succeed in life’s journey. A comprehensive approach is very much needed. As a growing team, we will continue to push and one day hope to make a mark here in Atlanta that spreads across the nation. We hope people see our name and know we are love, we are an open ear, and we are equal. We are, Creating Home Again.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been easy at all. The work we do takes a lot of emotional and mental strength. We hear many stories of pain and trauma and at times it feels as if we simply cannot do enough to take the pain away. Knowing that we have resources around us that can do the things that at times is beyond our scope at the moment makes it better. We have recognized that we are not standing alone. Funding has also been a rough road. We depend on the donations and kindness of volunteers for all of our events. Each event gathers approximately 100-150 people. Being sure that we have enough food and supplies is a huge worry. We at times spend our own savings and income on our events because its greater than us. Throughout the stress and worry, we always have enough and that is a blessing! We can serve 150 people, but we’re hoping for 150 more!
Creating Home Again – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are Creating Home Again, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that focuses on street outreach and community connections for the homeless here in Atlanta. Through outreach, we provide supplies, case management, and resources to the high-risk, indigent, and homeless men and women. The majority of our population are men, so we focus on providing the tools and resources to transition and advocacy along the way. When people see our red shirts and house, they know me by name and that means I am leaving a mark behind.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
During our Sleep Out event, myself and five others slept underneath the Bell Street bridge near Grady hospital. The men and women gathered as we provide Waffle House, hot chocolate, clothing, blankets, hats, and gloves on the coldest night in January of this year. Temperatures got in the low 20’s as we sat in our chairs alongside the homeless community camped out attempting to stay warm. One gentlemen came up to our team and said that his friends were apprehensive about us staying the night beside them. He stated that the men thought we were the “Feds, trying to get entail”, we laughed and joked replying that we only wanted to understand the conditions and if they had to sleep outside in 20-degree weather, then we would be sleeping beside them. He replied, “You can’t be from earth, please tell me what planet are you from”. This statement left a mark on me and changed the direction of our mission. “What planet are you from”. Meaning that in his mind, no one on earth would sleep next to him and because I did, it must’ve meant that I was not from the same planet. It broke my heart, but as he realized we were truly staying, he told me I had a friend in him and every time he saw me he would be standing by my side. I’m Jasmine, I am from planet earth and I want to change the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: creatinghomeagain.org
- Email: creatinghomeagain@gmail.com
- Instagram: _creatinghomeagain
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creatinghomeagain
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
