Aetna Better Health partners with local organization to combat homelessness in Northwest Missouri

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Aetna Better Health of Missouri announced new partnerships with local groups to help address homelessness in the region.

Aetna donated $30,000 to the Community Action Partnership of Greater St. Joseph and Northwest Missouri United Labor Community Services Agency. The donation will be divided equally, with each organization receiving $15,000.

The funding will go toward Community Action Partnership's Tiny Homes Village. The Tiny Homes Village provides small, transitional homes for anyone experiencing homelessness.

Kayla Marmaud, community relations director, said the funding supports its mission because it allows a space where they can work directly with residents.

"As you can see, the units are small, but it gives us a place that's a neutral location for the residents to be able to work on with their case manager what they need to," she said.

Marmaud said the program will work one-on-one with each individual to address their barriers and to help them find long-term housing.

"So whatever their needs are, we have a case manager that works directly with them to help them. So that kind of looks different for everybody," she said. "Sometimes it's finding employment, sometimes it's training, it's getting access to those vital documents like birth certificates, Social Security cards, things like that."

The Tiny Homes Village has 10 units, and there are currently four residents living in the homes.

LaRon Thompson moved into the Tiny Homes Village four months ago and heard about the program by getting in contact with Community Action when he needed a place to stay.

Thompson filled out an application and kept his fingers crossed.

"I got a phone call, and when I got that phone call was to come in for an interview. And from that day, it's just it's been a blessing," he said.

Thompson said living in the tiny home has been life-changing.

"It was unbelievable. It was like, this isn't real until that door opened, he said. "And when that door opened up, my life changed."

Thompson said his life, confidence and motivation have progressed since moving into his home.

"I say I've got more help with things. I've been able to speak up more. I've been able to do more things before I haven't been able to. I've just kept my mouth shut, scared to ask for help until I met everybody at Community Action and came into this tiny home," said Thompson.

Thompson said it feels especially amazing to have a home to be able to celebrate the holidays.

"It's my first time cooking for Thanksgiving. It's going to be my first time with Christmas," he said. "So, yeah, I couldn't ask for anything better. I really couldn't."

Thompson doesn’t live alone—he shares his home with an eight-month-old puppy named Queso, who keeps him company.

Queso and Thompson can now enjoy activities they couldn’t do before, like going for walks, playing and watching movies together. Having a safe home for him and Queso has helped tremendously.

"Just all I can say is with this being in this tiny home. Yeah, I feel safer than I've ever been and Queso also," he said.

Thompson said his days start worry-free, knowing he's in a secure environment.

"I used to wake up and feel depressed, didn't know what I was going to do the next day, what I was going to eat," he said. "Now I wake up every day less stressed and less depressed. And that's really about it. I wake up with no worries."

Marmaud said addressing homelessness and providing resources helps people move forward.

"If they don't have a safe place to stay and live. We can't expect them to get jobs if they don't have an address for those," she said. "We can't, you know, expect them to address any needs that they have, any mental health issues that they might have if they don't have a safe place. So being able to have them in a safe place and then to start moving forward and removing barriers is really important."