Since 2009, the Tracy Andrus Foundation, founded by local pastor and college professor Dr. Tracy Andrus, has served as a helping hand in the local and surrounding areas, offering assistance to underserved populations.
Through a new program, the foundation, located at the former Marshall police/fire station complex at 303 W. Burleson St., is currently providing assistance with delinquent rent and utility bills to those who qualify.
“The Tracy Andrus Foundation is an equal opportunity provider servicing clients in Harrison, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby County with possible financial assistance for rent and utilities,” explained Sharon Ventimiglia, the foundation’s new program director.
“Our mission is to assist the poor, uneducated, and at-risk vulnerable populations to equip them to visualize their full potential,” she said.
“We are currently accepting applications for those who have received a rental eviction notice and those who have received disconnection notices from their utility company.”
Ventimiglia said those seeking assistance must have an eviction notice or a notice to vacate as well as a statement in their lease, noting that the tenant can be evicted for an unpaid utility bill.
“It has to be something that’s in your lease that states that you are at risk of being evicted for your utilities for us to help pay for utilities as well,” Ventimiglia explained. “It has to be some statement from the landlord or it can be an eviction notice.”
Applicants must have an annual income below 50 percent of the median family income determined by HUD in their respective county.
“You have to meet those requirements,” said Ventimiglia.
Applicants must be delinquent with their bills in order to apply.
“They can apply at anytime, but you can’t be current with your bills,” said Ventimiglia. “Even with utilities it has to be a past due or disconnect notice. It’s for people that are behind. You can come to the office and fill out an application.”
Ventimiglia said once the necessary paperwork is processed and cleared through the state, the applicant will be notified whether or not the assistance is granted.
“You have to meet the requirements, and then it’s a process for us to get the funding and once they’re released then we can do our part,” she said.
In addition to assistance with rent and utilities, the Tracy Andrus Foundation also helps with rapid re-housing needs through its Family Support Services Division.
“Let’s just say you’re homeless, we’ll try to refer you to a shelter or something, but also our plan is to house you, to actually find them a place to stay as well,” said Ventimiglia.
“It can be people that just came out of prison or hospitals or domestic violence cases — things like that,” said Ventimiglia. “We’re able to re-house people as well, to give them a fresh start.”
Additionally, TAF provides referral services of other helpful resources and agencies.
“It’s not about just assisting them financially; we’re able to use other resources and other agencies that we know to refer them to, to get them help as well,” said Ventimiglia, noting they team up with various agencies including Community Healthcore and the Highway 80 Rescue Mission.
“People if they come in, if we can’t assist them, we can refer them,” she said.
About TAF
The mission of TAF is to educate, employ and empower its program participants in at-risk populations while assisting them with shelter, education and financial assistance.
“Tracy Andrus Foundation aspires to create environments where violence and domestic abuse are not tolerated,” Ventimiglia noted.
The foundation was established in 2009 by Dr. Andrus to assist returning citizens, the homeless and vulnerable populations. Andrus’s vision is to make education, housing, financial literacy and mentoring accessible to all at-risk populations in East Texas and the surrounding areas.
“It’s not just locally,” Ventimiglia said of TAF’s service areas. “In those counties (TAF serves), they don’t have a lot of resources or different organizations like this out there as well.”
TAF’s founder, Andrus, likes to share his own personal testimony with program participants as inspiration. After his 1994 release from serving a three-year sentence in a Louisiana prison for felony theft by check kiting, Andrus started his college career, earning three degrees, including a doctorate in juvenile justice from Prairie View A&M University. He made history in 2005, becoming the first African American in the United States to earn a PhD in juvenile justice.
The founder
Dr. Andrus has served as the director of the Lee P. Brown Criminal Justice Institute at Wiley College for 15 years and pastor of Edwards Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Marshall for 12 years.
In 2019, Andrus was granted an executive pardon by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and has been recommended for an executive pardon by the Texas Pardon Board. The pardon is currently on the governor’s desk, awaiting his signature.
“Dr. Andrus spends much of his time throughout the year speaking at conferences and events advocating for policy changes and social justice for offenders,” his bio states. “Tracy Andrus Foundation works for a fair and effective U.S. Criminal Justice System by promoting reforms in offender rights, correctional education, sentencing policy, addressing racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
Andrus is also a philanthropist and advocate of domestic violence programs throughout Texas and Louisiana. His advocacy began after losing his only daughter 37-year-old daughter Heather Mouton to domestic violence in May 2018.
In her memory, Andrus built and dedicated two safe houses in Harrison County, in October 2020, to provide victims a place of refuge. The properties — appropriately named “Heather’s House” in his daughter’s honor.
Additionally, with the assistance of Louisiana State Representative John Stefanski (R-Crowley), Andrus successfully pushed for HB366, known as Heather’s Law, which was signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2019. The bill, named in honor of Andrus’ daughter, is an effort to tighten laws protecting domestic abuse victims.
“Tracy Andrus Foundation aspires to create environments where violence and domestic abuse are not tolerated,” Ventimiglia noted.
As the new program director, Ventimiglia said she’s glad to be a part of the TAF mission.
“I’m just blessed to be here,” said Ventimiglia, a 2012 Wiley College criminal justice honors graduate.
“I’m just blessed to be a part of the organization to be able to give back and help others,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about. It’s like a satisfaction just to know that you can help because we all need some type of help sometimes, somewhere down the line.”
Ventimiglia said just to be able to help someone is rewarding, and she’s happy to support Andrus’ efforts.
“I just love his story,” she said of the founder’s testimony. “His main thing is always trying to help others; and that’s a blessing within itself. It’s not about him. He wants to make sure that he can help. He’s a blessing to me, the organization, and I’m just thankful to be working here.”
To apply for assistance with rent or utilities, call the foundation at 903-472-2762, or email TAFaassist@gmail.com. Applications can also be downloaded from the website at Wwww.tracyandrusfoundation.com and faxed to (903) 471-8675. Potential applicants can also visit the foundation’s Gateway Plaza office at 303 W. Burleson St.