Genesis... A New Beginning
by Carole Fong Kutchins, MS, RD, LD
Nutrition Consultant

The Genesis Program, developed by Samaritan House, enables residents and others living with HIV/AIDS to transition into independent living situations through education, counseling and support. After just two years in existence, the program is proving to be more successful than anyone could have imagined. The mission of the Genesis Program is to prevent homelessness by providing the opportunity for Samaritan House residents and other people living with HIV/AIDS to progress towards self-sufficiency and live successfully on their own.

Rose King is one of many who can attest to the help that Genesis provides. After hearing about the Genesis Program from her Licensed Chemical DependencyCounselor, Rose now lives in Parker Commons, one of the apartment complexes Samaritan House works with to place Genesis Program participants. Before moving into Parker Commons in August 2001, Rose was unhappy with her living arrangements. After her counselor told her about Genesis, Rose met with Sue Mahoney, the Aftercare Coordinator for the Genesis Program who documented that Rose met all of the criteria for entry into the program. Those criteria include:

After participating in Genesis for almost a year, Rose says that the program has helped her get back on her feet. She isnow living on her own for the first time since she was diagnosed with HIV about a year ago. Her goal is to get back to work, and working toward that goal, she recently received her certification as a forklift operator. This provides her with a new skill set that will allow her to further her self-sufficiency.

Rose attends monthly nutrition classes offered to all Genesis participants. The classes have increased her knowledge about staying healthy. As a way of giving back to the community and to Samaritan House, she enjoys cooking for Samaritan House residents once a month in the Supper Club program. She attributes many of her successes to her participation in the Genesis Program.

The Genesis Program not only helped Rose receive her forklift operating certification, but also helped her get back into society as an independent, responsible citizen. She is genuinely happy to be in the program and said, "Sue (Mahoney) has been a great inspiration to me…Sue supports (all the residents)…and is always there for me."

If you know an individual who meets the basic qualification criteria outlined earlier in this article, the Genesis Program may be able to help. Our primary mission is to provide HIV+ people a chance to obtain job training, employment opportunities, GED certification, and counseling. There are support groups for the program participants as well as balanced nutritious meals at Samaritan House if needed.

The Genesis Program makes the dreams of people living with HIV/AIDS a reality. By being a member of the Genesis family, Rose has been able to find a safe haven to grow and to better herself.


For more information about The Genesis Program, please contact Sue Mahoney at (817) 332-6410, ext. 162, or e-mail sue@samaritanhouse.org.