CHILL Launches its First Annual Golf Scramble, Celebrates Major Tenant Milestone
CHILL (Creating Hope, Instilling Life Lessons) is getting ready to host their very first golf outing later this month.
The CHILL Golf Scramble to Drive out Youth Housing Insecurity will be held on Tuesday, June 27 at 8:30 a.m. at Noble Hawk Golf Links in Kendallville.
You can register a four-person team for $400 by visiting www.chillfw.org. This price includes a round of golf, food and the chance to win prizes. All proceeds will be reinvested into CHILL, strengthening their operations to better serve our community.
CHILL is a small nonprofit that serves young adults ages 18-25 who have aged out of foster care or faced the risk of homelessness. The mission is to provide a safe and stable environment, where they can make supportive connections and learn invaluable life skills, to prepare these individuals for self-sufficiency and independence.
This mission is accomplished through a partnership with The Courtyard, a permanent supportive housing complex, built in 2014, on the southwest side of Fort Wayne. Once a qualified individual receives an apartment at The Courtyard, our CHILL Coaches come in to help them set goals, explore educational and career opportunities, enroll in various benefit programs, locate secure food sources and learn to care for their homes.
Since its creation in 2019, CHILL has served over 100 young individuals, and countless children, as many tenants have families of their own. In that time, CHILL has celebrated successes of every shape and size, but staff are especially excited about one recent success; the first tenant to buy a home outright after leaving our program.
Precious Wricks, 24, first came to The Courtyard in 2018 with her daughter Gabby. Her mother had recently died after a battle with breast cancer, leaving Precious and Gabby searching for a safe place to land.
With the help of Lamika, a Family Support Specialist from SCAN’s Healthy Families program, Precious was able to move into The Courtyard. Precious said living at The Courtyard helped her get her ducks in a row, studying, working, and saving for this very milestone.
Precious’s fiancé, David McClung, brought up the idea of buying a home a year ago. Despite all the preparations and support, Precious was nervous.
“I said, ‘the Lord would have to change my hear t about that one,’” Precious recalls.
CHILL Program Manager Dr. Endia Cassell and Biggs Property Manager Nikki Overton initially helped Precious apply for a home building program through Habitat for Humanity, though she was not accepted into the program.
When Precious and David were ready to buy a home this spring, the process was a quick one, lasting only about two weeks. Though stressful , Precious and David are beyond happy. David described the process as an “out of body experience.” Their home has everything they want, including a garage and space for a game room.
But most importantly, their new home provides space for their family and set a good example for Gabby.
“I want to show her there’s more to life,” Precious said. “You can do it even at a young age.”
Though Precious is settling into life in her new home with David, she’ll always look back on their time at The Courtyard, connecting with the CHILL Coaches, with fondness.
“I don’t know how to say thank you because they did so much! I have so much gratitude and respect for them. They’re like family to me,” Precious said.
As for Gabby, while she’s excited for this new chapter of life, Precious said she still calls The Courtyard her home.