NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A year after opening its doors, Strobel House in Nashville is celebrating the success stories of residents who have transitioned from homelessness to stable housing.
Among them is Johnnie Williams, 29, who recently became the first resident to earn a college diploma.
Williams, who moved into the supportive housing facility after staying at the Nashville Rescue Mission, graduated from Remington College as a medical assistant with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
"Being able to leave there in a short period of time, and I'm in an actual, permanent residential housing, I was relieved," Johnnie Williams said about her transition from the shelter to Strobel House.
From her one-bedroom apartment, Williams can see Nissan Stadium, a view she finds inspiring as she builds her new life.
"I told my friend, I came out here to Nashville to get my stuff together and get some BBQ," she said, chuckling.
The 90-unit supportive housing facility provides resources that have been crucial to Williams' success, including computer labs with internet access where she completed her coursework over the past nine months.
"I was able to come in and use their internet, they have internet access, and they have desktops here, and I was able to do my work," Williams said.
Her achievement has become an inspiration for other residents at Strobel House.
"She has been so self-motivated. And watching the impact that has had on other residents, motivating them and building their self-esteem through her, and seeing it is possible," said Laura Alvarez, the program director.
Williams isn't stopping with her medical assistant diploma. She plans to continue her education this fall, studying business administration at Remington College.
"This is the end of an era. I'm at the last stage of my 20s now and about to step into a new decade, and I said, you know what? I have to make sure I have it all the way together," Williams said.
Strobel House, which opened a year ago this week, is designed like an apartment building specifically for men and women coming directly out of homelessness. The city's office of homeless services uses the coordinated entry process to place people at the facility, making it easier for service providers to identify individuals experiencing housing crises.
Do you know someone who has overcome housing challenges or homelessness? I want to highlight more success stories from our community. Share your experiences or nominate someone whose journey deserves recognition by emailing me at Hannah.McDonald@newschannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by Hannah McDonald and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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