Meet Elizabeth Thompson of Making A Way Housing in Northwest Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Thompson.

Elizabeth, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Being a mom at 16, I knew that I had to do something great with my life. With the support of my family and steadfast focus, I became a Licensed Nurse Practitioner at the age of 17. My mother always instilled in me that no matter the obstacles, reach for the stars. Having a medical background for years, I decided I wanted a change so, I began my profession in real estate.  I experienced major success in real estate. I knew that my purpose was bigger professionally. I was asked to transform Making A Way Housing, Inc. to be a sustainable non-profit organization that would be able to provide housing for the homeless and other vulnerable populations in the city of Atlanta.

Since 2006, as Executive Director, I have been able to impact residents of MAWH’s lives and grow the organization into a pillar within the community. The experience I have professionally has prepared me for this grand role at Making A Way Housing. If it wasn’t for my experience in real estate, I wouldn’t be able to transform this property and its physical attributes. To be able to care and understand our population and their health would not be possible if it weren’t for my medical experience. Overall, I believe my passion for people and my phenomenal team has been the secret weapon to the success of Making A Way Housing.

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?
Nothing is ever smooth when managing a non-profit organization, but reaching the finish line is always gratifying. We never lack for vision, ideas or enthusiasm. The challenge was and is always finding sufficient funds to safeguard our financial vitality while working toward a progressive and stable future. To assist with funding shortfalls we have found it beneficial to collaborate with other organizations , stick to a strict budget and are real creative in finding ways to create and manage our funds. Since we service individuals with HIV/AIDS, Mental Illness and Substance abuse, stigma was and is an issue. We confronted stigma head-on and we began educating our consumers and the public, which increased empathy and understanding for those tackling drugs, HIV/AIDS and mental health issues. By challenging stigma, I believe more people will come forward for support and more people will recover and reach their potential.

Please tell us about Making A Way Housing, Inc.
Making A Way Housing, Inc. (MAWH) was established in 2002 to address the growing epidemic of homelessness in the City of Atlanta. Persons who are homeless often struggle with co-occurring challenges including substance addiction, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS. Combining these co-occurring illnesses with a lack of family or a support network can make overcoming homelessness nearly impossible. For these reasons Making A Way, Housing was born.

Our organization’s mission is to provide safe, affordable housing for individuals in the Atlanta area facing the complex challenges associated with homelessness. We have become THE leading advocate in the substance abuse and HIV recovery community. It is our vision to eradicate chronic homelessness and ensure that members of our community are educated and compassionate toward individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Located in North West Atlanta, MAWH operates a facility comprised of 72-two bedroom, one-bath apartment units, and a 15-bed emergency shelter. In addition to providing stable housing, MAWH offers case management services and direct referrals to a wealth of community resources, facilitating a comprehensive continuum of care that is vital to the rehabilitation and healing process. Through our programs and partnerships, residents receive assistance with resettlement, life skills training, financial planning, substance abuse counseling, transportation, health and dental care, crisis care, mental health services, job training and employment searches, access to entitlements, HIV/AIDS education and testing, and many other needed ancillary services needed to re-establish hope and resume their lives.

We are the only organization in the City of Atlanta that has Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing at 1 location. We also service Transgenders as they present vs. most agencies make them dress as they were born. We are truly an inclusive community.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Thinking about this question has reminded me of how lucky I am to have so many precious childhood memories. It’s hard to pick just one! In all of the ones that come to mind, I am surrounded by family (Mother, my grandmother, grandfather, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and/or cousins) in Puerto Rico and involve food (think of a grandmother’s delicious cooking) the outdoors…beaches, woods, walks. All my fond memories involve my Mom, she was so good to me. I only hope that my kids can one day say the same! #familyfirst#Iraldo#Hiraldo

Contact Info:

• Address: 377 Westchester Boulevard
  Atlanta, Georgia 30314
• Website: www.makingawayhousing.org
• Phone: 404-792-8011
• Email: info@makingawayhousing.org
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/makingawayhousing.org
• Twitter: 2010makingaway

Image Credit:
Ahmad Barber

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