-This is Steve Beverly asking for your help.

WLJT Channel 11, West Tennessee's home for educational and quality TV since 1968, needs your financial support.

We don't sell commercials.

Instead, we rely on donations from viewers.

Channel 11 is the most local station in all of West Tennessee, bringing you local shows about events, happenings, and issues important to West Tennessee.

It's really easy to donate.

Go to westtnpbs.org.

It's quick, easy, and secure.

Donate today and show your support for local, educational, and quality television.

Channel 11 needs your support today.

[music] -They provide hope, support, and a path for a better future for homeless wom.. with children.

Hello, I'm Don McCorry.

On this edition of Tennessee is Talking, the topic is the Dream Center, a remarkable faith-based organization dedicated to helping homeless women and children find hope, healing, and a brighter tomorrow.

Let the conversation begin.

[music] -We are rolling.

Confirm record.

Can we get a mic check?

Check.

Check.

Standby camera two.

Take two.

Standby announcer in three, two.

-West Tennessee PBS presents Tennessee is Talking.

Let the conversation begin.

-Thanks for joining the discussion here on Tennessee is Talking.

Hello, I'm Don McCorry.

The Dream Center is a beacon of hope for homeless women and mothers with children, providing not just shelter, but a program that focuses on healing, restoration, and long-term success.

Here to tell us more is Assistant Director Robin Apelgren.

Thanks for joining us.

Can you explain how the Dream Center began?

-Yes, thank you so much for having us.

The Dream Center began out of a need that was found.

2003, Jackson was hit with horrible F4 tornado, and that began a shelter at the old Jackson Regional Hospital off Old Hickory.

Through that process, the need was seen for a continual shelter.

Valtrese at Jackson Worship Center, he had already had this vision in mind for Jackson, for a place for families, for women and children, as a shelter.

-One did not exist at the time.

-Correct, yes.

After the tornado, then we had families coming from Hurricane Katrina who were .. and the whole shelter built from there.

-Great.

Tell us a little bit about your role as ass.. and what a typical day looks like.

-As assistant director, and as a member of a small nonprofit, we only have nine employees, sometimes I'm doing bookkeeping, sometimes I'm cleaning a bathroom, just whatever need needs to be met.

I start my day with our residents early at six o'clock.

We have 6:15 devotion every morning in the chapel.

That's just a way for our residents to just start their day with the word, with something positive.

Then from there, just about anything can happen.

-[laughs] Tell me a little bit about how we can possibly ensure that the needs of the individual women are being met, and how do you go about assessing what they are?

-What I appreciate most about the Dream Center is that it is an individual program, so no two residents are the same.

We might have a woman who's coming from a domestic situation.

We might have a woman who's coming directly from jail and is now trying to get her life back on track.

It is an individualized program, and so everyone's needs are different.

We will work out an individual plan for each resident.

-Many of those women have children as well.

-That's correct.

-Are the children in school or have activities?

-Yes.

They're all registered in Jackson public schools, which have been great.

They have been great to us at the Dream Center.

They know where our kids are, and they are accommodating with busing, tutoring that's needed.

Oftentimes, almost always, kids are behind grade levels just because of the inconsistency that they've had, but they are able to catch up.

-Great.

Do you provide training for your staff as..

I'm sure you have probably a number of people in the community that want to help, so I'm sure the volunteers are constantly in need.

-Yes.

Again, we have nine employees, and over half of them are graduates of the Dream Center program.

-Oh, okay.

-Yes.

They know, A, what it's like to be a resident, having gone through that process, the difficulties, and they know how to best meet those needs.

We rely heavily on volunteers.

We love our volunteers.

We have volunteers who come and teach Bible study, who come and take care of kids while moms are in classes.

That's how I started.

-As a volunteer?

-As a volunteer at the Dream Center.

My family moved here in 2016, and I was looking for a way to get to know the community and get to know some people, and I'd heard great things about the Dream Center.

I just started holding babies while moms were in classes and answering the phone.

-Oh, that's great.

-Filing papers.

It just built from there.

Once I got in and saw the work that they do, I was all in.

-Okay.

Is there a specific skillset that they may be looking for from their volunteers, or just serve in any way that they can?

-Right.

The skillset is to be consistent.

To show up.

A lot of times, the ladies just need an ear, someone who can listen to what they've been through.

We advocate talking about it.

Once you've talked about the trauma and the things that you've been through, it doesn't have any power.

It doesn't have any power over you.

-Give it voice.

-Yes.

-You mentioned the program.

Is there a fixed period of time that residents stay?

-The average is about nine months.

Again, because it is individualized, we may have a resident come through who has a lot of court fees and things they need to pay off.

They're paying off costs, and then they're purchasing a car, and then they're saving for an apartment or a home.

If they don't have that, then their stay might be shorter.

-In addition to providing housing, shelter for families, what other services do you provide for the women there?

-Of course, physical needs, like you just mentioned.

Once those are met, the ladies can relax a little bit in that, "I know these needs are going to be met.

Now we can go on to the next thing."

We have a full-time counselor on staff.

He helps them work through some of those issues that brought them to the Dream Center to begin with.

-Counselors for both the parent and the children?

-Correct.

-Okay.

-Yes.

-How difficult is it to talk those children through the trauma that they have been through, let's say in a domestic violence situation?

-Right.

Our counselor is great with play therapy, and that makes a world of difference when they can just-- they think they're just playing, and really, they are working through some of the things that have happened.

-What's the maximum age of the child that you will take in?

-Up to 18.

-Up to 18.

-Yes, sir.

-Great.

Mothers in the shelter have many needs.

What is the process of making sure all of those individual needs are met?

-We do offer a parenting class, and oftentimes moms will think, "Well, this is my third child.

I know what I'm doing."

A lot of times it's just come alongside them to give them that support of, "You know what?

Yes, you do know what you're doing, and you have done the best that you can so far with what you've had.

Now we're going to come alongside you and provide tutoring, provide childcare so that you can study as you're going to Jackson State Community College."

-Great.

Faith-based organizations have a significant .. How do you incorporate that, other than the daily prayer, into the routine of the individual residents there?

-We have two classes that are significant, that make the most difference at the Dream Center.

One is called 180, Getting Your Life on Target.

It's about making that 180 degree turn from where you've been.

Again, it is biblical-based.

It is getting to the why.

Why am I medicating myself with drugs or alcohol?

Why am I choosing the wrong man?

Why am I overspending and so my finances are a mess?

What is the root cause of that?

-These are very tough questions.

-Yes.

Often that class, folks will go through it twice because we get to the real root usually about the second time through.

-Okay.

I would assume that all of these cl.. if you're a resident.

-That is correct.

-Do the residents have other duties, let's say, to maintain the support and the condition of the center itself?

-They do.

We do not charge at the Dream Center.

Once the ladies are working, we ask for $30 a month.

Really that's to give them a receipt so that when they are out looking for housing, they have something that shows that they have been paying something somewhere.

Because of that, the ladies cook.

They take turns cooking for each other, maintaining their rooms, their facility.

Then the facility itself, just daily chores, sweeping, mopping.

-You mentioned cooking.

Do families, let's say, cook for everybody that's a resident at the same time or the nucleus family eats alone?

-No.

We have a different cook every night, and you will cook for- -Everyone.

--everyone, all the residents.

-Great.

You talked about how the organization was formed.

Where is your biggest source of income for maintaining the operations of that organization?

-Private donors in the community.

We have been very blessed.

Because we're a faith-based organization, there are families in the community that see this need, that want to be a part, but maybe they're running their own companies, they have their own families, but they can give this way.

-Do you have fundraisers?

-We do.

We just had our 5K fundraiser.

That was the very first fundraiser that we ever did at the Dream Center was a 5K.

We have an annual fundraiser called Dreams Renewed.

That's our great big fundraiser at the Carl Perkins Center.

-That's great.

That's great.

Do you work with other local churches or churches here within the community?

How can pastors or congregations get involved with being either a volunteer or a donor for the organization?

-We do.

We have several churches throughout the community that support us financially.

We have classes within churches, different organizations, women on missions, things like that, that from time to time will call us up, "What .. "We need paper products.

We need cleaning products this month.

Next month we need canned goods, pantry staples," things like that.

-Great.

Partnerships.

You will probably have some consistent partners who have supported you for a long period of time.

How do you go about choosing who those individual partners are?

-One of our tremendous partners in the community, we're a community partner with United Way of West Tennessee.

They are tremendous.

Recently, we have partnered with the Red Cross Community Adaptation Program.

They supplied us some kitchen essentials, serving utensils, pots, pans, things like that.

In the event of a disaster in the community, the Red Cross would be able to come and serve out of the Dream Center.

-What are some of your biggest challenges that you go through on this typical day?

I'm sure, as you said, everybody's case is different, and you may have resources available immediately, sometimes they may not.

How do you go about making sure that all of their needs are met?

-One of our biggest challenges is just you get, 50, 60 women all with different personalities under one roof.

Too many people trying to be the lead of this or that.

That can be a challenge.

Then we just have to sit down and we learn .. -Is security an issue?

-In our new building, we've been in our new facility about a year and a half, we're very blessed.

We have cameras.

The door is locked, so we have a button, we buzz you in.

-Okay.

Good, because I'm sure that you do everything to protect the mothers and the children that are there- -Absolutely.

--and try to keep unwanted individua.. -Correct.

-Can a person leave the program when they are ready?

-They can.

Sometimes that's a challenge.

They'll say, "You know what?

I'm good.

I've been here maybe four months.

I know what I'm doing.

I've got my tax refund.

I'm ready to go."

That's a challenge sometimes on our end.

-Challenging, believing that they may not be as ready as they think they are.

-Correct.

Correct.

That sometimes that tax refund, whatever it is, only goes so far.

We've had that happen.

We've had residents call back and say, "I ma.. and "I left too soon."

-They are free to return?

-Often.

-Often.

-Yes.

-Okay.

In measuring the success of the organization after 2016, I believe, what benchmarks or metrics do you use to make sure that you are meeting the needs of the community?

-We keep all of our data.

Last year, January through December of 2024, we served 607 clients.

195 of those moved into permanent housing.

185 women got jobs.

Some of those women, that was their first time they've ever had a job.

The biggest anecdotal metric is when sometimes a past resident will just call, "Hey, how are you?

I wanted to let you know that this is what'..

I've gotten married," or "I've bought a house, I've bought a car, I've been at this job.

Since I left, I'm still here, and everything's great."

-Coupled with those success stories, there's probably been some situations that have been extremely difficult that you may have encountered.

Can you share one that was extremely disturbing and how you were able to navigate through that situation?

-We had a lady come in one time with her children.

Through the counseling process, we found out that the children were being abused by their mother, who had come in with them.

-Wow.

-Yes.

It broke our heart.

Of course, at that point, we have a very good relationship with DCS, which we are g.. We did what we could do on our end, but at that point, we just have to call authorities.

-Okay.

The mother accepted the reality of it, or was it confrontational?

-It was confrontational.

It just was.

In the end, that we know that we did what we needed to do and what had to be.. for those children to be safe was what was most important.

-What do you think are some of the most significant barriers that women coming from domestic abuse will be facing once they leave the Dream Center?

-Affordable housing.

Safe and affordable housing.

We've had tremendous industry come into Jackson and the Jackson area, which is great for jobs, but it also drives up housing, so safe, affordable housing for- -Which is not a service you provide.

-Correct, but we do work with the Jackson Housing Authority.

Other agencies were able to call and do our best to put them in touch with resources that can get them into housing.

-Are you thinking about expanding into providing some additional services that you currently don't, based on the needs of some of the women that may have come through?

-We would like to expand into some more transitional-- We're done at the Dream Center level, but now maybe some transitional housing into living on your own, but still under that Dream Center umbrella.

-Oh, okay.

Sort of, "Here's a trial or a temporary test to see if you have the attainability to take care of yourself."

-Correct.

-That's great.

I'm sure with families and children, that the.. for supplies, staples.

How can the community go about finding out what your needs are or how to make donations directly to the Dream Center?

-On our website, dreamcenterjackson.com, we have a list of those needs.

If they are just at Kroger, Walmart, wherever, and they pick up extra paper towels, an extra bottle of multipurpose cleaner, and they can drop that by the office at any time.

They can just give us a call and say, "Hey, I'm going to go to the store.

Is there a few things I could pick up for you?"

-Basically, during normal business hours, they can drop those donations off?

-Yes.

-The address, again, where they can do this?

-We are at 59 Oil Well in Jackson 38305.

-Okay.

How do you see or do you see the role of a faith-based organization working with helping to make some inroads into the homelessness process here, especially within West Tennessee?

-Being a faith-based organization, we are mandated to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and that cuts through the red tape.

It cuts through bureaucracy of having to get, A, B, C done before we can just go out and do.

We are called to serve, and so faith-based organizations, I think that's our biggest mandate, is to serve.

-This is for all denominations.

-Yes.

-That's great, because it's so important that the community knows that the Dream Center exists, and what your needs are, and for the people that I know, especially within this community, they are here to serve.

They want to be able to be a part of that as well.

Tell me once again where we can go to find that information about the needs of the Dream Center and how to make donations.

-Absolutely.

You visit our website at dreamcenterjack..

There is a tab at the top that says Give.

That can be, again, items that you bring to the center, give through PayPal, Venmo, send us a check.

We won't discriminate, I promise.

-We take cash.

-Yes.

-On a personal note, can you tell me what is probably one of the most rewarding aspects of your job?

-When it clicks.

When I see it click for a resident that they don't have to live the way they've always been living.

It's like, this is the way it's always been, this is the way it will always be.

The Bible tells us we are a new creation in Christ.

The old has passed away.

When they understand that, "This is what I came from, this is what was, but this is who I'm going to be," that's what gives me goosebumps.

I love it.

-Those success stories.

-Yes.

-Do you have one that you wanted to share with us real qu.. that resonates with you?

-I do.

I have a friend, because now she's my friend.

She just called me up on the weekend, "What are you doing?"

When she came to the Dream Center, she was angry, and just rightfully so.

She had three children who she did not have custody of.

She had a two-week-old baby.

She had told God, "I'll do anything it takes to keep this child," because she had lost custody of her other three children.

For a while, personally, I was like, "Lord, what is she doing h.. Because she doesn't want to do the rules.

She doesn't want to comply.

I just thought, "Lord, help us."

He helped us and He helped her.

It clicked for her that this was not the way that it had to be.

We had a member of the community call and he said, "My secretary is going to be out for six weeks on maternity leave.

I'm a lawyer.

I need a secretary.

Do you have someone?

Can you send someone over?"

She went to work for him.

She's a three-time convicted felon working at the law office.

She stayed there a year.

Now she works for another member of the community as his office manager.

She sees all of her kids that she had lost rights to.

She has custody still of her baby.

Another one lives with her.

She sees them all the time.

It's great.

She has her own home.

She's a homeowner in J.. -That's remarkable.

-Yes.

-Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Sadly, we're out of time for this edition of Tennessee is Talking.

We want to thank Robin Apelgren for stopping by and telling us about the Dream Center.

If you want to re-watch this program or share it with a friend, remember it can be streamed anytime on the PBS app along with all local Channel 11 programs.

You can also watch it on westtnpbs.org.

Keep the conversation going by following West Tennessee PBS on social media.

Until next time, keep on talking, Tennessee.

[music] -Hello, it's Peter Noll, Channel 11 General Manager and CEO, asking you if you love shows like Tennessee is Talking that you're watching right now, consider making a donation to Channel 11 to keep these shows coming to you.

If you do, we'll give you one of these lovely thank-you gifts.

We've got the Tennessee is Talking organizer clipboard, has a pen holder in it.

We also have the Tennessee is Talking tote and the Tennessee is Talking cap.

All these items can be yours.

Donate now, westtnpbs.org.

-The conversation isn't over, it's just beginning.

Send West Tennessee PBS your thoughts about today's program to tnsistalking@westtnpbs.org.

Your email may be shared on air during a future program.

What are your thoughts, your opinions, your ideas?

Send an email to tnsistalking@westtnpbs.org.

Email us and let the conversation continue.

-This program you've been watching was made possible through the generous financial support of West Tennessee PBS viewers like you.

Please visit westtnpbs.org and make a donation today so that we can continue to make local programs like this possible.

Thank you.

[music]