5/08: Jenny wrote... "Julie, now more than ever our veterans need us, especially people like you. I am proud to contribute."

5/08: Damon wrote... "Hi Julie, Thanks for everything you do to help homeless veterans. They have all made such a big sacrifice for our country, and I admire your dedication in helping them."

5/08: Mindy wrote... "Congratulations Julie! Thanks for all of the hard work and dedication you have put into helping our homeless veterans. MOECD is proud to be involved with this project."
Mindy Young
Program Manager
City of Charleston, WV
Mayor's Office of Economic and Community Development

5/08: Sandra wrote... "Julie and Alex, congrats for a job well done. I know this has been hard work and we all look forward to this new added resource in our community."
Sandra J. Hamlin
Executive Director
Religious Coalition for Community Renewal (RCCR)

5/08: Jeff wrote... "Julie, Congratulations on receiving this grant! The services you provide are very important to our community. Keep up the great work!"
Jeff Crist
Development Director
Covenant House

5/08: Amy wrote... "What great news, Julie! So proud of you and your great team."
Amy Weintraub
Covenant House

5/09: Julie's Parents wrote... "Dear Julie: I know how hard both you and Alex work making the lives better for those that are less fortunate and need a helping hand. You are both great parents to our twin grandsons and great friends to those in need. You give of yourselves from the heart and this is what will make Charleston a better place for you being a part of the community."
All our love,
Mom and Dad

5/12: Terri wrote... "Hi Julie, unfortunately the "homeless veteran" is a constant problem in this country. Congratulations, and thank you for stepping up to the plate to help! I know it is much appreciated."

5/13: Anthony wrote... "Congratulations Julie, you are truly a hero. Helping the homeless who have nothing makes you truly an angel."

Meet Julie Alston from Charleston, West Virginia

Julie and her husband, Alex, are the co-CEO’s of the Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center in Charleston, West Virginia. The RSLC, an independent, non-profit agency providing emergency shelter for the homeless, is developing 27 units of transitional housing and a service center for homeless veterans. Julie has a long history of providing social services and says, “It is our dream to provide the best possible program for homeless veterans - those who have served our country and now need us.”

Julie’s grant will provide the Veterans Transitional Living Center with:

12 twin beds
12 night stands
10 bunk beds & ladders
32 bed-in-bags
4 sofas & 4 chairs
coffee table & 2 end tables
kitchen table + 8 chairs
game table & + 4 chairs
4 stools

The center will open in September but we are committing now because money is very tight for their project, and this will allow them to add $25,000 to the construction budget, which Julie says, “would help them tremendously.”

May 8, 2008
Julie’s husband, Alex, helped us surprise Julie this morning with the good news. We were expecting a TV news crew to be there but no one came and we couldn’t figure out why… until someone reminded us that Hillary Clinton was in town, and she was 2 hours late! So the crew was waiting for her and couldn’t make it to Julie’s office. Julie got bumped by a presidential candidate!

Today also happened to be the day they signed the contracts for the construction, which will begin in ten days. Julie and Alex will be keeping us updated with photos of the construction progress as we anticipate the grand opening. And here’s something: they have 18-month old twin boys!