A Calhoun woman was honored Nov. 5 at the Homeless Awareness week meeting, as the first ever Homeless Prevention Advocate.

Edith Self, general manger at Motel 6, collaborates with the Family Connections Agency to help homeless individuals in emergency situations, according to Roberta Charbonneau, director of Family Connections of Gordon County.

“She works very diligently; working with people who find themselves in a period of transition,” said Charbonneau.

She said, “Edith reaches out to the family advocate (the family’s Family Connection representative) and puts them up with a very discounted rate (at the Motel 6).”

Charbonneau said she reached out through Family Connections, the agency that connects with schools and many other organizations to help those in need. All those who work with the agency “work together to raise awareness and identify supports and fill the gaps and identify services,” she said.

The Bridge, a task force for the homeless, meets the first Thursday of every month for an exchange and sharing of information and updates, she said.

Charbonneau said Bridge advisory board was asked to recognize an advocate for the homeless annual award, and Self was the board’s top pick.

Charbonneau said Self “was very surprised.”

Amanda Schutz, a social worker for Calhoun City Schools, said during the Thursday presentation, ”there are families who get evicted and have nowhere to go. Edith has been good about helping us with some of those situations in the past.”