Our House e-newsletter July & August 2011 | Page 13

resident receives a
new outlook on life
By Emily Davis, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate
The smile on former resident Charles McCullough’s face
is unforgettable. Huge, pearly white, and persistent, it
spreads joy to all who meet him. Charles’s unstoppable
happiness and beaming teeth are new additions to his life,
and he credits both to Our House. After arriving at Our
House four months ago, Charles filled his days with challenges, triumphs, and goals, things he had never fought for
before. Charles said that coming to the shelter made him
discover his own potential for success and Our House’s
ability to help him achieve it. In money management
classes Charles learned how to handle his money with
wisdom and respect, and in the Learning Center he gained
valuable computer skills. He received a promotion at
UAMS, where he attends to the nutritional needs of roughly
90 people a day. Charles readily admits that life in the
shelter was not always easy, but he insists that working
with every part of the program is worth the occasional
hardship. He advises his fellow struggling residents, “this
is your opportunity. Take advantage of it.” With the money
he earned at UAMS, Charles was recently able to purchase
a new set of teeth, and he hasn’t stopped smiling since.

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