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AUGUSTA, Ga – A groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting homeless or at-risk male veterans and their children is set to launch in Augusta. The Freddie Mae Foundation has introduced the “Reclaiming My Manhood” program, a pioneering effort in both Augusta and the entire state of Georgia.
The initiative features “The Mulliens House,” a transitional home designed to accommodate up to three families at a time. This housing will provide a crucial stepping stone for veterans and their families as they work towards achieving stability and independence.
The program’s primary objective is to assist families in overcoming the challenges they face when transitioning from military to civilian life. Christopher Mulliens, the founder of the Freddie Mae Foundation, highlighted the lack of guidance available to former military personnel as they re-enter civilian society.
“When you leave the military, there’s little information on how to navigate civilian life,” Mulliens remarked, emphasizing the urgent need for support systems like “Reclaiming My Manhood.”
“They don’t tell you much when you get out of the military. They don’t tell you how to navigate,” he explained.
An Army veteran himself, Mulliens told NewsChannel 6 this project means a lot to him.
The program is inspired by and in memory of homeless veteran he worked with named Willie Walker, who died in 2020, just a few days after Christmas.
“One of our clients, Mr. Willie, again, a respected person, somebody who was very humble, was found frozen to death. And so the foundation decided to say, hey, we need to do a call to action.”
The $667,000 project will include 5 bedrooms, 4 and a half bathrooms, a kitchen and several living and work spaces where residents will take classes.
“With ‘The Mulliens House,’ I mean, is going to be an array of things. We look at it as a wraparound service. Say you can come in and do financial literacy, job training, parenting classes, all of these things, even counseling,” said Mulliens.
So far, the Foundation has received more than $36,000 in grants. The property, located on Bayvale Road, was donated and sustained a good bit of damage during Hurricane Helene. Because of that damage, the non-profit received a $26,250 grant from GEMA. They also received a $10,000 grant from Georgia Power.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is donating $25,000 worth of materials and labor for the electrical system. The organization needs $150,000 more to break ground on “The Mulliens House,” which adds up to 75% of the total amount needed.
Shea Aaron Burns, grant writer for the Freddie Mae Foundation, said that donations of time and materials are just as important as monetary donations.
“If it’s coming through in-kind donations. Labor especially, because labor can cost quite a bit of money. If there are organizations willing to donate lumber, donate plumbing assistance, things of that nature, that would help secure things on the inside of the home as well,” she explained.
Freddie Mae Foundation is depending on donations from the community to help push the project forward. Aaron Burns said that financial donations of any amount are helpful and appreciated. She added that she hopes the project speaks to others the way it spoke to her, and leads them to want to help.
“That will now spark someone else to say, ‘How can I help? What can I do?’ And it doesn’t always mean money. You know, your time is just as valuable as money,” she said.
Mulliens is hoping construction will start by fall of this year and be finished by December.
If you want to volunteer or donate, you can contact Mulliens through the Freddie Mae Foundation website. You can also make monetary donations using the QR codes pictured below.
Photojournalist: Gary Hipps.