Hope is a powerful thing. The absence of hope……well it is not a good thing.

The center is working with partners to operate the homeless shelter in town. For many of our guests of the shelter, we are a beacon of safety and hope. Currently, the night shelter is operating as a high barrier shelter. This means in order to spend the night, have dinner, watch TV etc… you must be sober and drug free. We actually test them daily.  You must be working on a longer term plan.

We are willing to help the guests get ID’S, jobs, and even housing when we can. We can help with rehab, and with our partner Igluteca, we offer AA and NA meetings 6 days a week. The biggest thing we try to offer is hope. Hope for a better future.

One of the biggest issues we face is after care. When we help people get clean and sober, they are put back into the same situation that caused them to drink. The lack of hope returns. Housing is not readily available, nor are jobs. In some cases, cleaning up does not change the root issues. Lack of education leads to a lack of options.

The ones that bother me the most are young adults. Kids as young as 18 are not welcomed at home. Without a safety net, where do they turn? Too often, they only have the street people. So how does a 19 year old change their life?

Since I came to the center in 2020 we have had a number of young adults on the Job Corp. We have discussed starting a formal mentoring program as part of the Job Corp. Creating goals for the young person and for the center. Creating an agreement of expectations. The real goal is to set them up to thrive in life. To be able to take care of themselves and, in turn, their future family.

Imagine being on your own at 18 or 19. Were you ready to take care of yourself? To find a job that pays enough to have a place to live, eat, live? They need help. They need guidance. They need HOPE.

God loves them, God Loves you, and so do I