C.J. Felton

Two years ago when C.J. Felton found himself out of a job and down on his luck, he ran into some trouble that led to a significant community service requirement. Searching for a way to complete the hours, C.J. was startled to find that a great nonprofit -- Community Housing Network -- was located right across the street from his house in Troy, Mich.

"I contacted them and they gave me a chance," tells C.J.

After several months of volunteering, and with his community service requirements a thing of the past, C.J. was offered a full-time paid position as the Development Assistant -- a role which included coordinating volunteers and interns. Today, C.J. works to pass on the good works he once received from the organization to others in need.

For individuals in a time of distress, a safe place to call home is an essential part of the road to recovery. Community Housing Network's programs give people the foundation they need in order to move on with their lives. With offices in the greater Detroit area, the organization offers learning resources, leasing assistance programs, and shelter services to the homeless, people with disabilities, low-income families, and anyone facing a housing crisis.

As a recognized leader in housing assistance programs, Community Housing Network partners with other organizations to carry out the bi-annual Homeless Street Count, which brings hundreds of volunteers to the streets to get a quantified handle on the gravity of homelessness in the greater Detroit area.

"VolunteerMatch played an important role in helping us recruit the nearly 200 volunteers needed to carry out the count," tells C.J. "Referrals started coming to us immediately."  

But the organization's volunteer needs go beyond single-day events. In his new role, C.J. established several permanent volunteer positions to help out with the day-to-day coordination of the housing programs. And recognizing that talent is not location-specific, he created a role for a virtual volunteer to manage Community Housing Network's social media and online presence, which has proven to be instrumental to the organization's outreach efforts.

"Most of what has been accomplished could not have happened without our virtual volunteer," tells C.J. "We have not yet met her in person, yet she has become a very valuable member of our team."

Though in his past-life C.J. spent his days measuring profit, today his work is motivated by meeting the needs of people in his community.  Through the good works of Community Housing Network, he too was able to establish the foundation on which to build his future.

"I'm a completely different person today than I was two years ago," he says, "and it is due in great part to the faith Community Housing Network placed in me."