Heroes Of The Homeless Crisis: How Katina Holliday Of Holliday’s Helping Hands (HHH) Is Helping To Support Some Of The Most Vulnerable People In Our Communities
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
… To be successful, you must put in the time even if that means evenings and weekends (while it’s important to recharge your batteries, there are times in our business when your involvement is necessary and that can mean after hours).
As a part of my series about “Heroes Of The Homeless Crisis” I had the pleasure of interviewing Katina Holliday.
Katina Holliday is the Founder and CEO of Holliday’s Helping Hands (HHH.) Her organization seeks to provided interim housing for families and pregnant women experiencing homelessness. By providing nourishing food, safe shelter and an array of services, Miss. Holliday witnessed her clients achieving happy, independent and productive lives. Miss. Holliday’s organization has places hundreds of clients into permanent housing of their own by developing “roadmaps” for their futures — detailed, comprehensive plans that help them hone their lifestyle skills, plan monthly home budgets, prepare for job interviews and become good neighbors and citizens so that they can enjoy living independent, fulfilling lives.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your personal background, and how you grew up?
Thank you for inviting me to participate in this interview. To start at the beginning, I grew up in Mississippi whose motto is “the hospitality state” in a small town called Aberdeen. It’s a special place as the people there have always been so warm, caring, compassionate and friendly. That set a good foundation for who I am as a person. I’m the baby of the family — LOL — as my mom only had two kids and I was raised in a trailer home on my great grandmother’s property. Education was a priority in my family so I became a “straight A” student. I breezed through high school and, in fact, skipped 11th grade, so I enrolled in college quite young. It was around this time that I came to the conclusion that you are not a product of your environment, you’re a product of your expectations. If you expect great things, great things will come.
Is there a particular story or incident that inspired you to get involved in your work helping people who are homeless?
My grandmother was a powerful and inspiring guiding force in my life and it was she who provided constant care of the town’s most vulnerable soul whose name was Shine. He walked on the streets of Aberdeen, although he lived with his family. I have clear recollections of how she would take care of his most basic needs including three meals a day and other essentials, Later, when I was working alongside the homeless population of Los Angeles, I couldn’t help but recall her kindness when caring for Shine. And it was that correlation that provided the inspiration for my company, Holliday’s Helping Hands. I guess you could say that my approach to my career is embedded in my DNA. With the exception of Shine, we really didn’t see homelessness. Later after moving to LA and driving through Skid Row, I was blown away by the sheer number of homeless. I was a nurse practitioner at the time and regularly took care of these disenfranchised folks. I loved them and they loved me. In was then and there that I gained my sense of purpose. I knew that this was my calling.
Homelessness has been a problem for a long time in the United States. But it seems that it has gotten a lot worse over the past five years, particularly in the large cities, such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. Can you explain to our readers what brought us to this place? Where did this crisis come from?
There are myriad factors at play here including the lack of affordable housing, inability to pay massive hospital bills, mental illness, substance abuse….Through working directly with the homeless population here in LA over the past 10 years, we are seeing more men taking to the streets. Many of them lack basic life skills. Currents stats estimate that LA has 70,000 homeless, however, I suspect that there are many many more. We know that those without resources often “couch surf” which means they sleep from one family or friend’s house to another and they are not counted among the homeless. When COVID hit, we saw a spike in homelessness. We find that whether it’s COVID or some other serious medical condition, major life crises often result in the loss of employment, which, of course, sets the stage for homelessness.
For the benefit of our readers, can you describe the typical progression of how one starts as a healthy young person with a place to live, a job, an education, a family support system, a social support system, a community support system, to an individual who is sleeping on the ground at night? How does that progression occur?
The reasons why a seemingly healthy and well-adjusted individual could find themselves homeless are countless. Right now, for instance, many people are one health crisis away from living in their cars since they lack insurance or not enough of it. The loss of a job can be a crippling circumstance as can the breakup of a significant relationship — — both of these crises can result in the person losing hope and falling into despair. Of course, the onset of mental illness and substance abuse are common causes. Our program, Holliday’s Helping Hands (HHH), believes that everyone has the right to be housed, no matter their circumstance. Having a roof over ones head should be a human right — full stop. We remain nonjudgmental throughout the entire process. We custom tailor our approach to care and treat our clients them with dignity and respect. To make this process as productive as possible, we work closely with them to develop “roadmaps” for their futures — detailed, comprehensive plans that help them hone their lifestyle skills, plan monthly home budgets, prepare for job interviews and become good neighbors and citizens. We help them write their resumes, find jobs, enroll in college, and obtain access to services. We become their support system if they do not have one. We also connect them to their families and try to bridge splintered relationships. We have realized that showing them love is the greatest motivator.
A question that many people who are not familiar with the intricacies of this problem ask is, “Why don’t homeless people just move to a city that has cheaper housing?” How do you answer this question?
Our research shows that California and New York offer resources that other states don’t. I recall a 50-year-old woman moving to LA from Georgia to get health benefits because she was diagnosed with cancer. She had been gainfully employed as a cook, but her employer offered no benefits — no health insurance. After her diagnosis, she moved to LA and ended up at the Union Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter. Another reason people on the streets migrate to LA is the weather. You can live outdoors most of the year. We also see a lot of young people from all over the country gravitate to Hollywood with stars in their eyes. It’s not long before the high cost of living catches up to them and before long they find themselves living on the streets. It’s nearly impossible to live while earning minimum wage .
If someone passes a homeless person on the street, what is the best way to help them?
One of the most powerful and positive things you can do is simply smile and say “hello.” They are human beings and most of them simply wish to be acknowledged. All too often, people avert their eyes from them and that only fosters a sense of worthlessness. In LA, we have the 211 system, which offers myriad services for the homeless. If you engage them in conversation, let them know about 211. One of my goals, is to have a system in place that you can call and housing can be provided right there and then anytime of the day.
What is the best way to respond if a homeless person asks for money for rent or gas?
Instead of handing over money, ask them what they need. If they want food, walk into a restaurant with them and pay for their meal. If they need gas, go with them to the pump and make the purchase. Sometimes when I ask what they need the money for, I have a good idea that they want it to buy alcohol or drugs. Do I give it them? Yes I do give them something. I let them know that they are loved and give them my card in case they need anything. I remain nonjudgmental as this is the key.
Can you describe to our readers how your work is making an impact battling this crisis?
We have permanently housed more than 100 individuals in our short 4 years in existence. Approximately 20 have returned to work and now tax-paying citizens. We currently house approx. 400 individuals nightly with HHH. We are making a small yet powerful impact. Since we are a well-oiled machine, we have the ability to open a facility in as little as one-week’s time. With the necessary resources, our approach to helping the homeless could make an even bigger impact not only in LA but in other communities as well.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the homeless crisis, and the homeless community? Also how has it affected your ability to help people?
One of the silver linings of COVID-19 was the inception of Project Home Key (PHK), which allows us to take the homeless off the streets and into interim housing. This was a real blessing. We currently have a PHK that holds 135 clients.
Can you share something about your work that makes you most proud? Is there a particular story or incident that you found most uplifting?
We started a program recently called the Shine Ambassador Program, which was named after a man from my hometown whom my grandmother cared for named Shine. We were recently talking to one of our Shine Ambassadors who now works for Hollidays Helping Hands and he described the impact that we’ve had on his life. He had the Director and me in tears. He was saying that since working with us, he has learned that the HHH team love people without condition. The progress he has made and the fact that he has found purpose in his life again thanks to HHH makes my heart smile. To know the vision is being carried out by others is just unbelievable.
Without sharing real names, can you share a story with our readers about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your work?
One story stands out. It involves a woman who made a lifetime of poor choices. She was a mother of an 8 month old when the child was removed from her custody for various reasons. Now, many years later, she became an HHH client, we housed her, helped her find purpose in her life and she is now back on her feet. The icing on the cake is that she currently lives independently, has been reunited with her now 23-year-old son and they are rebuilding their relationship.
Can you share three things that the community and society can do to help you address the root of this crisis? Can you give some examples?
It takes a village to combat this issue. One key is being more receptive to having sites in one’s neighborhood. We like to find good, healthy communities to place our facilities but are often met with resistance and sometimes even hostility from neighbors. We want them to understand that our clients pose no undue risk. In fact, our clients must adhere to strict codes of conduct that make them especially good neighbors. Also, I would suggest that people consider volunteering to help stem the problem of homelessness. I was told by a wise woman that instead of giving them a “hand out” that we offer them a “hand up” and volunteering is a great way to do that. Finally, the most powerful tool at our disposal is financial support. We have to rely on the government — ultimately tax dollars — to provide the services to stem the tide of homelessness and make the changes needed to for them to live independent lives.
If you had the power to influence legislation, which three laws would you like to see introduced that might help you in your work?
First law I would implement is the Stipulations on how to house the homeless in a business model. Second we need to adopt the Housing First Model across the United States. Third, I would place guidelines on the housing that organizations offer to individuals. The reason for this last one is because some housing sites look like third world countries here in the US and this should be unacceptable.
I know that this is not easy work. What keeps you going?
Hope and faith that we can make things better. I love being a blessing to others. Having an impact on even one person’s life is a privilege. When we make a positive difference in the lives of others, it has enormous impact and inspires others to do the same in their own way. That’s really what life is all about….creating lasting legacies that improve the world around us.
Do you have hope that one day this great social challenge can be solved completely?
I am making it my life’s mission to accomplish that. I know some people living on the streets do not want to be housed but they still need our love and support. Our mission is to end homelessness and barriers to getting the help individuals need to live lives of purpose.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- Not everyone has the same passion about their work as I do so be patient with them (sometimes employees can be as challenging as our clients).
- California employee laws can be very complicated and challenging (know the law, don’t depend on others to read/understand laws and statutes but do it yourself…it’s empowering).
- To be successful, you must put in the time even if that means evenings and weekends (while it’s important to recharge your batteries, there are times in our business when your involvement is necessary and that can mean after hours).
- Put people around you whom you trust (I have lifelong friends, former employers and loved one in my inner circle whom I trust implicitly and that gives me peace of mind).
- Take time to enjoy your successes (enjoying your free time with loved ones gives you a healthy work/life balance).
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Livable wages for the working class. We have the working poor right here in America. Even when I was a registered nurse living quite modestly here in LA, l was living paycheck to paycheck, which meant that one dramatic life event could have thrown me into homelessness. A lot of us work hard and find it difficult navigating this thing called life. Our society needs to focus on establishing a balance between the cost of living and earning a living wage.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
It’s a simple, yet profound quote by Mother Theresa. ”It’s not about how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do that counts.” I have another quote to match that. “If you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.” I believe in Love. Love motivates, stimulates, and activates us as humans. When we love someone or something, we invest our entire selves into it. It’s obvious when you meet someone who lovers what they do. I am blessed that I love what I do and it shows in my work. I am committed to changing lives daily through love.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
It would be a dream to have lunch with Oprah Winfrey. She too comes from a small town in Mississippi. I have had people compare me to her because I try to be as generous as I possibly can. I take that as a great compliment. I remember on one of her shows she surprised the studio audience who were comprised of teachers with brand new cars. I was so moved by this gesture that she was recognizing the hard work that teachers, the unsung heroes of our communities, have on society. I was inspired by Oprah’s generosity of heart. If I had a 2nd choice, it would be to spend time with Jeff Bezos who has made such an impact on this world. But his impact could be so much greater and his legacy so much richer by partnering with community based organizations like HHH to combat the homeless crisis.
How can our readers follow you online? *I’ll check theses
On Facebook, you can find us at @HollidaysHH and on Instagram we’re @hollidayshelpinghands.
Just in case the readers need to know… Everyday is a Holliday!!! So love, live and laugh daily!!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
Heroes Of The Homeless Crisis: How Katina Holliday Of Holliday’s Helping Hands (HHH) Is Helping To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.