Johnny has a message for each and every person who helps make the Mission and its programs possible:

“You are really helping change people’s lives by what you do. You are giving opportunities to people who feel hopeless or feel like they don’t matter. You are saving lives.”

The first time Johnny came to the Mission nearly two years ago, he had just gotten out of county jail. “While I was in jail, the public defender suggested I go to Faith Mission. I only stayed a month or so. I left too early. I didn’t really understand the kind of help this place can provide.”

Johnny spent the next two years “in and out of work and in and out of addiction.” Then a “Come to God” moment made him decide to return. “I walked to the Mission, and the whole time I was walking, I was just thinking, ‘Do the program,’” he remembers. “I really felt pushed to do this by something higher than me. I just did what I felt God wanted me to do.”

The first thing Johnny did was enroll in our Resident Program and take any available classes. He also started helping out wherever needed. Today, he is part of the Mission’s team, working security and helping those who were once in his shoes.

“I absolutely love it,” he says. “People in the Emergency Overnight Shelter come to me and ask me how to get into rehab. I’ve had people come back after getting resources and hug me or shake my hand and thank me for helping them and talking them through their issues. I want to make sure people are safe and sheltered and feel like they can trust me.”

Johnny is now working toward obtaining his GED as he continues serving homeless individuals at the Mission.

“I appreciate every opportunity the Mission has given me,” he says. “I love the community I’m in. I love seeing people going from feeling like they have nothing to succeeding. And it’s great seeing God’s handprint on people’s goals and paths and seeing the doors He opens.”

Thank you for making a difference in Johnny’s life through your partnership!