Our Impact: Stories

Being homeless and alone was a circumstance that had never crossed U.S. Army veteran Brenda Tolliver’s mind. An ambitious self-starter, the native of Memphis, Tennessee began pursuing her dreams fresh out of high school. She would join the Army and then use G.I. Bill benefits for college and the law degree she wanted. And so, from 1990-1992, Brenda became one of the soldiers serving through operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Her service unfortunately left her disabled from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder but not even that stopped her forward progress. She came home to Tennessee, accessed her benefits and earned an…

Two decisions. One to tell the truth and ask for help. The other is to say “no” to living at an address too close to trouble. Between making those two right decisions on his own and discovering a helping hand from Volunteers of America Texas, William Balcom’s life now is as different from what it used to be as the proverbial night and day. William grew up in Detroit. After his father died when he was in the seventh grade, he hung out with the motorcycle group his father had been a part of. It was, he said, the “tough…

Hallmark’s made-for-TV romances have nothing on the real-life story of Eligio “Eli” Lujan and his wife, Ligia Chaparro-Torres. Their storybook tale includes a beautiful foreign locale, a happenstance meeting, an instant connection, and a second chance at love. And while the connection was immediate, it took a bit of time for love to grow, another common theme in the better-known world of fantasy films. Eli and Ligia are residents at the Carver Plaza Apartments in Abilene, one of several senior citizen residential communities operated in Texas by Volunteers of America Texas. Recently, Eli and Ligia sat down with VOA Texas…

VOA Texas Minister, Tim Lloyd (pictured right) serves full time as the agency’s Housing Support Manager. Day in and day out, he helps people in Conroe, Texas find safe, affordable housing through the organization’s Permanent and Supportive Housing (PSH) Program. One Saturday in April, he and his wife Becky found themselves on the doorstep of a home he had recently helped a client to acquire. Days before, the client, who wishes to remain anonymous, asked Tim to bless the property to establish a sense of peace and tranquility over the new space. Being a domestic violence survivor, the idea of…

Facilities Services Manage What keeps you motivated and dedicated after the four years that you’ve been with VOA Texas? The goal to help men and women get their lives on a stable foundation in order to lead healthier and crime free lifestyles. Explain how you have benefited from growth opportunities at VOA Texas? I’ve benefited from growth opportunities by being promoted from a Case Manager to a Facility Service Manager which requires a totally different frame of mind which has more responsibility and new challenges everyday. What’s your favorite memory at VOA Texas? My favorite memory would be getting a…

Director, Residential Treatment What keeps you motivated and dedicated after the four years that you’ve been with VOA Texas? Coming to work and being able to provide treatment services for those in need, in an environment where I am supported by my supervisory team, working with others who are self-directed to help others as well, and being in a facility that recognizes that we could not do what we do without God’s guidance and support. Explain how you have benefited from growth opportunities at VOA Texas? I came into the VOA in the top position at my facility. I was…