Been There, Beyond That
James Coleman helps the homeless become hopeful
by Grace Henry

At first glance, he looks like your typical sharp business major walking across campus. No one would ever know that James Coleman was homeless and an addict for 18 years. After years of wandering the streets, addicted to drugs and alcohol, Coleman stumbled upon the Broward Outreach Center (BOC) while living in Ft. Lauderdale’s Tent City, a safe zone created for the homeless.

In December 29, 1998 he finally enrolled in a program at the BOC but left after month, still believing he could have control of his life and continue to drink and do drugs. After falling victim to the vicious cycle of drug and alcohol addiction, Coleman finally hit bottom.  It was then that he re-entered and completed the BOC program.

Coleman has come a long way since that time. Since his recovery six years ago, Coleman has dedicated himself to advocating for the homeless. While working to finish his AA degree in business administration at Broward Community College, he currently holds three positions at the BOC. He oversees all of the volunteers for the center and is also responsible for coordinating and fund raising for the center’s non-profit section. He also solicits, receives and records donations contributed to the BOC and acts as the center’s public relations representative.

In contrast with his administrative positions at the BOC, Coleman serves on a more personal level as a teacher and mentor there. He teaches “Where Do We Go From Here?” a step-by-step class on how to prioritize.  He motivates and encourages the homeless to fight to be the best they can be through sharing his own personal experiences with them.

Coleman is on the Board of Directors for the Broward Coalition for the Homeless, where he serves in the community as an advocate and spokesperson for the homeless. Through serving on the committee he endeavors to inform and educate the community on how to forge cooperation that will eradicate the homeless situation. He is also a Board member for the North Broward Hospital District, where he works to ensure that homeless children are afforded the best possible medical care.

Coleman speaks to students at local high schools about at risk youths. “I use a down to earth approach to convince them that education is the key to get them where they want to be,” he said. “The fast life might be fine for a while, but there is no guarantee that it will last, your education will last you a lifetime.”

Through Coleman’s example and advocacy effort, he has encouraged other students to also take an active interest in participating at the BOC and learning how to interact with the homeless on a more personal one-on-one level.

“Actually associating the volunteering activity with a face makes the experience much more personal and encourages the students and the community to do more,” Coleman says.

The Rev. Dr. Allen Reesor, the director of the BOC, nominated Coleman for the Personal Achievement Award. He praised Coleman and stated, “Every day he works with people to help them recognize that past homelessness does not restrict the possibility of success.”

Contact Coleman at jcoleman@hotmail.com.

Copyright © 2006 Oxendine Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved