Our Latest Issue of Inspire Back to School 2024

I Didn’t Have to Raise My Hand

28-year-old Griffin Furlong is a civil engineer. He spends his days managing large-scale residential projects in Tampa, Florida. He has created a successful life in a field of work that he truly loves, despite his circumstances as a child living in Louisville.

In 2007, Griffin and his family experienced homelessness. He was six years old when his mother passed away from cancer.

“That took a big toll on us,” Griffin said. “It took a big toll on my dad and his mental health.”

His father suffered from depression after the loss of his wife. He lost his job and began to fall behind on bills. By eight, Griffin and his family were homeless.

They eventually found VOA’s Unity House. The program provided a safe and welcoming place for them to stay as well as individualized support for the entire family.

“It’s really hard when you’re a homeless kid and you’re in a constant state of needing help. And sometimes it gets really old, continuing to raise your hand and ask for help. I just feel like with VOA, I never had to raise my hand,” Griffin said.

VOA supported Griffin’s dad and made sure he and his brother didn’t fall behind in school.

After leaving Unity House, Griffin and his family moved to Florida. Griffin continued to excel in his educational journey and was valedictorian of his high school class. He went on to earn an engineering degree from Florida State University.

Griffin and his brother are two inspiring examples of adults who lived at Unity House and went on to create beautiful, successful lives. This year, the program celebrates 40 years of supporting unhoused families.

Taking the Reins Toward a Hopeful Life

51-year-old Army veteran Christian Maverick, never knew his father, and his mother struggled with substance-use disorder. From a young age, he experienced neglect and abuse until he was taken from his mother and spent the rest of his young adult life in foster homes and psychiatric hospitals.

At 18, he left state custody and joined the military to escape his circumstances. But while in training, Christian suffered a head injury and was medically discharged.

“The only family (Army) I ever knew cared for me and now I’m out. I didn’t know what to do,” he said.

Feeling lost and without hope, Christian turned to substances to cope with the physical and emotional pain. He struggled financially and turned to criminal activity to earn money and maintain his drug use.

It wasn’t until 2016, that Christian’s life changed. He met his wife, Amy, and they had a daughter, Samara.

He decided to create a new life and be a good example for his daughter. But his head injury continued to affect his ability to work and live. Christian and his family were about to be evicted from their apartment when he found VOA.

VOA went to work for Christian, helping him with rent, locating stable housing and connecting him with a unique program to help him process traumas from his past.

“VOA came to me and was like, ‘hey, we’ve got this equine therapy program that we think you should be a part of,’ ” he said.

Christian had a fear of horses, but he decided to give it a try. He started attending therapy sessions at Equid Branches Wellness Services in Cox’s Creek, Kentucky, and formed a bond with a horse named Joe.

“I felt a connection to him. He just put me at ease,” Christian said. “He knew what I was feeling.”

Joe is 15 years old and was trained to work with veterans like Christian. He suffered an injury and due to arthritis cannot be mounted. But his calm nature and keen sense of emotions make him the perfect horse for equine therapy.

Thanks to therapy with Joe, today, Christian has a new outlook on life and a new job at Mosby’s Towing and Transport LLC. He has Saturdays off so he can spend time with his daughter and continue to go to equine therapy.

“This program and VOA saved me.”