The Calls Keep Coming: A Day in the Life of Brooke Adams
Columbus and Bartholomew County hum with activity every day—people going to work, dropping kids off at school, and running errands around town. But behind that daily rhythm are neighbors working hard to overcome challenges that many never see. For Brooke Adams, a United Way of Bartholomew County Avenues to Opportunity coach, those neighbors are her focus.
Avenues to Opportunity is a nationally recognized program built by United Way of Bartholomew County that meets people where they are and helps them remove the barriers that have prevented their self-sufficiency.
Every call, every conversation, every success story begins the same way: With someone reaching out for help and a United Way coach ready to walk beside them.
Morning Calls, Real Lives
Brooke starts her mornings by checking messages. There are always new ones waiting.
One message came from a family of five: a hardworking couple and their three children, a nine-year-old and seven-year-old twins. They had been renting their home when the landlord suddenly sold the property. Without time to find another affordable place, they found themselves homeless. The husband kept working, the family was actively searching for new housing and both parents were doing everything they could to keep life steady for their kids.
Brooke listened, reassured them, and got to work. Within days, she found a landlord willing to partner with United Way. Because the family had managed to save some money, United Way was able to help fill the gap for their deposit. A few days later, they got the keys. Stability returned. The children went back to their routines. And the family could finally breathe again.
The next call came from an elderly man who was living in his car while managing a chronic health condition. Despite his determination, he couldn’t find a landlord willing to give him a chance. Brooke met with him, listened to his story, and helped him navigate available housing options.
With support from United Way, including a phone card and a gas card, he stayed connected and continued his search without falling further behind. After weeks of persistence and collaboration, a landlord opened the door. Brooke helped with the deposit, accompanied him to Sans Souci for linens and housewares, picked up cleaning supplies, and supported him as he settled into his new home.
“At the end of the day, we got everything in the apartment and set up,” Brooke said. “He still had time to go to a hot meal site. It was a great end to the week.”
More Than a Safety Net
Stories like these are all too common. Nearly 34% of Bartholomew County residents work but still struggle to meet their basic needs. About 13% live below the Federal Poverty Line. For many families, a single unexpected event like a rent increase, job loss, car repair, or illness—can push them into crisis.
United Way of Bartholomew County is working to change that. Through a community-wide effort, the organization has committed to lifting 1,000 families out of poverty in 2,000 days and making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.
This ambitious goal is possible because of donors like you. Your support strengthens a system of care, a network of agencies, organizations, and coaches that not only catches people when they fall but walks beside them as they rebuild.
The Avenues to Opportunity program focuses on partnership. Families work one-on-one with coaches like Brooke to set goals, build financial stability, and develop the tools they need to thrive on their own.
A No-Wrong-Door Approach
When someone in crisis reaches out, whether to United Way or to another local partner, they do not have to start over or explain their story multiple times.
United Way’s “no wrong door” policy ensures that every human service organization in the network works together. If someone goes to Love Chapel for food but also needs help with rent, the system connects them. If a family seeks utility assistance through another agency but needs budgeting support, they are linked to a coach like Brooke.
The result is a community-wide safety net, created by agencies, donors, and volunteers, that meets people where they are and guides them toward long-term stability.
“People are struggling every day just to make ends meet,” Brooke says. “Some don’t have the family or friends to turn to. That’s where we step in. I love helping people—it gives me joy to see a frown turn into a smile.”
The Power of Partnership
None of this happens alone. Every phone card, every deposit, every connection to food or shelter is made possible because of donors who believe in investing in people.
When you give to United Way of Bartholomew County, you are funding transformation. You are helping families find stable housing, connecting them to better jobs, supporting mental health and childcare, and giving them the tools to thrive.
Together, we are creating a community where help is always within reach and no one has to face hardship alone.
The calls keep coming. Because of you, coaches like Brooke can keep answering.
