Aug. 6--AUDIO SLIDESHOW: Fighting the Good Fight

These days, having cable is a want, not a need, said Woodbridge resident Tim Cole Sr.

But for the single father of three children, it's a step in the right direction after an extremely trying year.

Last fall, Cole's wife abruptly left him. This winter, he was furloughed from his job for a month.

And this spring, his rented home was foreclosed on.

But things have been looking up lately. He was lucky enough to start receiving a steady paycheck again as an electrician for a local subcontractor. This, along with periodic financial assistance from Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries, has allowed him to move into a new place.

And for the first time in quite awhile, sons Tim Jr., 14, and Bryan, 11, and daughter Holly, 9, can watch more than reruns of Reba.

While full of tension, Cole's story is somewhat a successful one, especially for those on the U.S. 1 corridor in Woodbridge. The decade-old Streetlight Ministries is seeing the problem of homelessness get worse firsthand.

To combat the issue, it has started to diversify its manners of assistance. Largely dependent on donations from individuals and the congregation at Vineyard Christian Fellowship -- where the ministry operates from -- Streetlight recently held a benefit concert that drew 275 people at more than $20 a pop.

The ministry will also will be focusing more on rental assistance than periodic utility assistance. Streetlight went that direction, in part, because Dumfries-based charity Action in the Community Through Service ended its rental assistance program and chose instead to focus more on utility assistance.

Rental assistance can be defined as monetarily helping an individual with the first month's rent, and in many cases, a security deposit.

Because of the foreclosure crisis, ACTS Executive Director Frances Harris said it was difficult to approve those applying for rental assistance. In many cases, they couldn't reach the landlords to verify information.

Typically the most ACTS could contribute per rental would be $300 through partnerships with area churches and private donations, said Harris.

Once a haven for single men, Streetlight has seen a sharp increase in families using its services -- which also include a transitional house for the formerly homeless. On many occasions, Cole has brought his children to the church to eat dinner.

Each Wednesday for the last 10 years, Streetlight has provided meals for the homeless and needy. In January, an estimated 100 people were taking advantage of the dinner each week -- a number that increased as the year has worn on.

With rents still extremely high in the area, there are many individuals and families that just need a little financial pick-me-up to get off the streets for good, Streetlight Ministries Executive Director Rose Powers said.

"Everybody can receive services no matter what their faith," Powers said. "... And you do not have listen to any kind of message to receive help."

Cole said he's grateful for the assistance that Streetlight has provided and thinks extremely highly of Powers. He is learning firsthand just how difficult life can be, especially when taking care of children by oneself.

Luckily, Tim Jr. has stepped up and become a mentor of sorts to the younger children. Powers said it's crucial for children in particular to have a roof over their heads.

"This approach [[rapid rehousing] is so needed in order to stabilize families as quickly as possible," Powers said. "It saves families from undue trauma."

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.

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