From being homeless, to helping the homeless

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Even though there are resources available, overcoming homelessness can be a difficult thing to do. However, one person is showing that not only is it possible to break out of homelessness, but it’s also possible to thrive.

Roechelle Williams wasn’t always on the working side of the Union Gospel Mission.

“I spent basically three years of my life chronically homeless using multiple services in the community, but Union Gospel Mission is where I really got my stuff in a group,” UGM client services director, Roechelle Williams said.

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Williams says she knew she needed to break out of the cycle she was in. Her first step was getting a different job.

“I used to do things like insurance, dictations, fast food industry and managing hotels. It was really easy for me to cover up some of the things that I was engaged in back in that time and just really getting out of those work fields and into construction, which is where I learned my work ethic,” Williams said.

Her career path took another change when she found out she was pregnant. That change led her back to UGM.

“So I came back to UGM and said, you know, ‘Hey, this is what I’ve been up to. I know that overnights are kind of a hard shift to fill. Would you be willing to hire me on a staff?'” Williams said.

That was 5 years ago. Since then, Williams has become an instrumental part of the nonprofit.

“I couldn’t do a lot of the things that we do here at the Mission without her,” Union Gospel Mission CEO, Eric Weber said.

Williams started off as a client advocate in 2020. She soon noticed a gap in the services.

“I was working in the Women’s Center kind of overnights and then little bit of days. But I had time to really sit and reflect on what did I go through as an individual and where did I need help out on my journey,” Williams said.

At that time, the mission didn’t have case management.

“I started brainstorming ‘what would a case management plan look like?’ And I went to Eric and a couple of my other supervisors and they said, ‘Yeah, let’s try it’,” Williams said.

William’s past experiences have helped her shape the case management program at UGM.

“We thought, ‘Oh, if she’s been through it, maybe she could help other people through it.’ And so since she’s already got the roadmap, I asked her to come in and help people get better. And then she created this book, a stuff of really amazing. It was like she knew where to go, who to get and who to contact, all this stuff,” Weber said.

“Honestly, without having used those services, I don’t know if I could do what I’m doing right now. It takes a lot to go through different social systems. There’s different things that you need for each agency,” Williams said.

Along with case management, Williams has also helped launch the Community Health Worker program, helps lead bachelor and master social work internships, and more.

What started as someone who needed help, is now able to help others.

“Seeing Rochelle doing it, just becoming a part of the overall program and being in charge of some of the programming has been amazing. We’ve probably 25 to 30 people that have been guests here are actually working here. So we’re about second chances,” Weber said.

“In a time in our community where things are up in the air on this subject, I think it’s important that you understand whatever your goal is, that’s positive. Having goals is positive. Not everybody’s end goal is going to be the same. And no matter what your goal is, there are people in our community to support you,” Williams said.

In 2024 alone, Williams and her team directly assisted 1301 clients, and was able to place 382 households into housing.