Homeless to Empowered

A young man, “Tony”*, walked through our doors in July after being released from jail, homeless. He came to us with nothing more than the clothes on his back. 

With no family or friends to rely on while he figured out next steps and nowhere to sleep that night, he was lost, discouraged and alone.  

He was referred to us by the officers who released him at the Adult Detention Center (ADC). He walked through our doors, unsure of what to expect and simply out of options. 

In addition to clean clothes, food and emergency shelter, he found hope for a better tomorrow. 

He took the first step, and walked in. He plunked down in a chair in our CEO’s office, and started to share his story. She listened to all of the painful parts—everything that led up to today. She listened without judgement. He recounted the times he hurt himself, hurt others, and encountered rock bottom. 

But his value wasn’t determined by the mistakes he made. He was seen as worthy simply because he was human. He was treated with respect and dignity. He was fed home-cooked lunches, provided clean clothes and shelter. 

And in return, he was asked to help. He was expected to arrive at our humble Leesburg facility each morning at 9am to load food bags, sort and haul donations and serve food on our bus to local families in need. He developed a sense of purpose as he made a difference for others.  

And we needed his help, too. Serving on our bus is physically and emotionally demanding, the volume of people…feeling their pain. And the loading…740 gallons of milk Monday, 3,000 pounds of sweet potatoes Tuesday, 2 pallets of squash on Wednesday. Heat, cold, and rain.  

And the constant reminder to all of us: through helping others, we heal ourselves.

And John feels it, too. After volunteering, he earned a job with us. We provided him a bike, so he could get to work. He entered our transitional housing program as he develops life and job skills for his next venture. We work through on-the-job challenges to close the gaps and deficits; progress hasn’t been a straight line. But he has a renewed sense of purpose and a path for tomorrow.  

John has taken the next step toward self-sufficiency, and we are honored to stand with him through this journey.  

*a pseudonym