Joint Base San Antonio-Medina Annex, Texas -- One Citizen Airman has committed herself to helping homeless female veterans in Middle Georgia get a new start in life.
Senior Airman Christina Davis, a Radio Frequency Transmissions Technician assigned to the 55th Combat Communications Squadron, is involved in a community project called the Genesis Joy House Renovation.
Genesis Joy House is the first transitional housing facility for homeless female veterans located in Middle Georgia. The property, consisting of three houses and a shed, was donated to the Genesis Joy House organization, but the buildings were damaged from fire and neglected by the previous owners.
In October 2016, Davis took on the position as Property Manager with the intent of bringing the houses up to code and to standard living conditions. She explained why this project is so near and dear to her heart and what has prompted her to continue soliciting volunteers for labor and donations for funding and supplies.
“I was homeless at one point in my life, and I did not have such a smooth start,” Davis said. “I made a lot of poor decisions in my life starting out and took the hard way to make it to where I am today; therefore, this project allows me to help these female veterans who feel that no one else cares about them after giving service to our great country. Through the help of countless volunteers and the local business community, [this effort offers] a path of progression to a better standard of life and the skills to successfully land a career – not another job – and ensures growth beyond the Genesis Joy House project.”
According to Davis, who typically dedicates at least 40 hours a week to the project, the state of Georgia only has three shelters besides the undisclosed battered women shelters that cater strictly to females. Within these shelters, the services offered are very limited and none have programs for long term stay.
“This task is one that not only gives for a moment, but benefits individuals for a lifetime. Not only will the veterans benefit from housing, but they will benefit from training classes to include, among other things, resume writing and financial management.”
She went on to share the intent of the classes and services to be offered.
“We hope to empower these women with the same attitudes and values they once held while in uniform and remind them they are farther in life than they thought,” Davis said. “Further, not all jobs in the military correspond to civilian career fields and not everyone wants the same job when they get out. So, we will give them financial management classes, counseling services and programs of informational interview processes of companies within the area to give them real-world mentoring. In short, returning them to the same society they once protected.”
Much interest has been generated in the Genesis Joy House project.
“We have recently partnered with members of multiple Robins Air Force Base agencies and squadrons, the Robins Chamber of Commerce, and several other community organizations and businesses,” Davis said. “They all have contributed manpower, volunteer catering events, building supplies, discounted services and media exposure via television and internet.”
Additionally, in true military fashion, the members of her unit have rallied to support this noble endeavor by Davis. Since March, 25 Citizen Airmen assigned to the 55th Combat Communications Squadron have volunteered their time on a monthly basis to the Genesis Joy House project doing demolition, clearing property of debris, electrical work, and re-furbishing buildings on the property.
“Airman Davis' infectious enthusiasm for Genesis Joy House and love for her own family, challenged her 55th family to stand up and support her throughout the life of this project,” said Lt. Col. Ricky Hornsby, 55th Combat Communications Squadron commander. “She is representative of the type of outstanding Airmen the 55th currently has serving.”
Moving forward, Davis said she and the many volunteers working on the project with her will continue working on the three buildings. They will upgrade and renovate the duplex in order to bring it up to structural and electrical code. The two story building on the property, which is being renovated with a grant from the City of Warner Robins, will contain classrooms, a salons, a dining facility and media rooms for large crowds. The single units on the property will be the final transition stage of renovation program, and will offer the veterans privacy and time alone for resume writing/submission and interview preparation.
A ribbon cutting ceremony of the completed portions of this project will be held Thanksgiving weekend 2017, along with a toy drive for veteran families and the caretakers of the veteran’s children.