Resident Stories

"It's Gonna Be Incredible"

Nico in his room at the Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House

July 29, 2022

Nico, a 25-year-old Army veteran and current resident of our Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House, got a text recently from Washington and Jefferson College (W&J) with his letter of acceptance. “That was a really good day,” he said. “I literally jumped for joy. I was screaming as loud as I could and running up and down the hallway.” He ran out of the Veterans House and down our Freedom Path into the Men’s Shelter, where his Dad, Charles, is currently a resident. He found his Dad in the weight room and told him his good news. And father and son shared the moment that they had both been waiting for. “I had some definite doubts about getting in,” Nico said. “It’s kind of a miracle, actually, given how tragic my high school GPA was. I just never took it seriously. But everything just started coming together so perfectly. And I’m really excited about this new challenge. This is the starting point for me to become the man I desire to be.” Nico came to City Mission a couple of months ago. His Dad, who was already a resident here, told him about the veterans program. “Come up here and get your life together,” his Dad told him. Nico decided to give it a shot. When he came to the Mission, he met our Manager of Veterans Services, Steve Adams, who is a veteran and a former resident at City Mission. “He’s incredible,” Nico said of Adams. “Ever since I got here, he has taken me under his wing. He's shown me everything I need to do to set myself up for success.” When Nico told Adams that his ambition was to become a Radiologist and that he was interested in attending nearby W&J College, Adams immediately got on the phone with Dr. Michael Crabtree, a City Mission Board Member and Psychology Professor at W&J whose name adorns our Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House as an ardent supporter of our veterans program. “Steve Adams is so committed to his role and to helping every single one of the veterans,” Dr. Crabtree explained. “He has a passion for helping them achieve their goals, and he always knows how to help and who to contact.” Dr. Crabtree contacted the W&J admissions office on Nico’s behalf to help with the application process and to let them know some of Nico’s unique characteristics. “Nico represents the best of what comes out of City Mission,” he explained. “He is going to take the support he gets from City Mission and use it to move on to something exciting that represents a real opportunity for him. Nico is going to need all the tools that he gains at City Mission to face the challenges ahead and to have the resilience to push through. I have no doubt he will be successful given what he has already accomplished.” When Dr. Crabtree, who just so happens to be the academic mentor for the W&J wrestling team, found out that Nico was interested in joining the team, he wasted no time in connecting him with Head Wrestling Coach, Tommy Prairie. Coach Prairie gave Nico a tour of campus and assisted him through the application process. “The main thing that we look for in the W&J Wrestling program are passionate and driven individuals that want to be successful in all aspects of their lives,” said Prairie. “From my interaction with Nico, it’s clear he is not our typical freshman, but you can tell that he has a drive to improve his life and set himself up for the future.” “My number one goal for Nico,” he added, “is to see him graduate in four years with a skillset to be successful going forward in all aspects of his life. Every achievement on the mat is a bonus.” Nico is primed for this new challenge in his life. “This is going to take real discipline,” he explained, “a discipline I don’t think I’ve shown in my life yet. But I know it’s there. And that’s why I’m taking on this challenge. It’s gonna be the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but it’s gonna be incredible to see it happen. I can’t wait.” “I am thankful to the Mission,” he added, “because, no matter all the mistakes that I've made, I'm forgiven, and I'm able to start new.” Real life change is possible. It happens here at City Mission. You can be a part of these everyday miracles by helping us turn our residents’ dreams into reality. www.citymission.org.

"I Have a Future!""

July 22, 2022

C.J. first came to City Mission in 2018 and stayed for a year before moving out on his own. He was doing great until the COVID pandemic wreaked havoc in his life. “During COVID, life showed up and things got very difficult, like, very difficult,” C.J. explained. “I ended falling back into the drugs again.” He went to rehab and then came back to City Mission for a second stay in November of last year. “I think it’s important to recognize that when CJ needed somewhere safe to come, somewhere he was going to be loved and accepted for who he is, he showed up here,” said Brad Nelson, City Mission’s Intake Coordinator. “The Mission provided an environment for CJ to become the person God’s true will intended him to be.” When C.J. came back to the Mission, he was welcomed back with open arms and with nothing but love at a time when he needed it most. “If I hadn’t come back to the Mission,” he explained, “I might not be alive today. Before I came to the Mission I was just lost, spiritually broken, with no hope at all. You know, I knew exactly where it was going, and I was just scared because I didn't wanna die.” C.J. grew up in Johnstown, PA. He was raised by his grandmother, because his mother was an addict, and his father was never really around. He had a good childhood. His grandmother raised him and his siblings in the church. But in 11th grade, he started getting into trouble. “That's when my life really took a whole different turn, because I started to give up then, you know,” C.J. explained. “I got hooked on the streets. I started drinking, smoking weed, and selling drugs. That’s when it all started.” C.J. graduated from high school and bounced around from job to job for a while. Then, in 2010, his life really took a turn for the worse. He lost his mom, his grandmother, his grandfather, and his sister all within the span of less than two years. From then, his life started to spiral. “It just went crazy,” he said. “I used to use the death in my family as an excuse for me to act out. I turned to drugs, like, heavy drugs, and I started getting into trouble. I ended up going to jail.” When he got out of jail, he just went right back into the same mess he was in. “I was staying out in the streets, sleeping on back porches, and stuff like that,” he explained. And then one day, he just got tired of it. C.J. also has four kids, and his lifestyle was keeping him from being the father he wanted to be. He came to City Mission and started working on himself and trying to turn his life around. Now, he goes to meetings and participates in mental health counseling and drug and alcohol counseling. He found a church home that he loves. “Before I came to the Mission, my biggest challenge was myself. I was fighting demons, you know,” he said. “But today, I have a relationship with God again that’s very strong and deep. I can actually see the light again, like I have a future… I always looked at negative things, you know, and I see different now. I don't think the same way I used to think. I don't act the way I used to act. “I'm thankful for the Mission because I have a life today. I have a future, and they provided that for me here when I didn't think it was possible. But it is possible, and if I can do it, anybody else can do it, because I've been through the pits, and I've been to dark places where there was no light at all.” Recently, C.J. moved out of the Mission again and into his own place. Within a week after moving, the Mission hired him as a full-time Recovery Support Staff member, setting an example for the residents and helping to maintain a clean, safe, and healthy environment. “CJ went through our Resident Assistant program and was a phenomenal example for the new residents coming into gateway,” said City Mission Director of Residential Programs, Leah Dietrich. “He encouraged them and was there to listen and to guide them towards recovery. He has such a heart for people and that love and light in his smile is inspiring!” You can help make stories of life transformation, like C.J.’s, come alive at City Mission. Give today at: www.citymission.org.

Welcome, Baby Esther

July 15, 2022

“My grandmother was my mom because my mom was on drugs,” said Guadalupe. “My grandmother was very abusive, physically and verbally. And she didn't know how to express her emotions properly, so she kinda took all that anger out on me and my sister. So I grew up a very rebellious kid, because I didn't know how to cope with all the anger that I had built in me.” Guadalupe was born in the Dominican Republic. She moved to New York City when she was 9. By age 13, she was in the foster care system. At age 18, she met her first abusive boyfriend. She ended up getting into drinking and drugs. After suffering through several abusive relationships and getting pregnant with her second child, she decided to move out of New York and find a better environment to raise her young family. She and her three-year-old son, Samson (who has lived his entire life in homeless shelters), came to the Mission in December. She was pregnant with her second child and determined to break the cycle of abuse and addiction in her family and create a better life for her children. “It’s such an honor and privilege to be witnessing her transformation and her growth as a mother, of now 2 children,” said Sheila Namy, City Mission’s Manager of Women and Children Services. “When Guadalupe first came to the Mission, she had built a wall around herself and was in a very protectant mode of survival with her child. She didn’t want to let anyone in or get close to her.” On June 21, Guadalupe’s daughter, Esther, was born. Since she had no supportive friends or family in the area, she asked Namy to accompany her to the hospital and be with her during the labor and delivery. “In my 7 years at the mission, this just might be the most memorable moment,” said Namy. “It was a very special day. I found myself in awe of the miracle of life and childbirth.” The two of them laughed and cried together. They read scripture and played Gospel music until it came time for baby Esther to arrive. “It was a joyful moment to watch baby Esther come into the world,” Namy explained. “I had tear-filled eyes, knowing that God had just formed a bond between this mom and child and that their lives, and mine, were forever changed by this day.” “Before I came to the Mission, I was a lost soul,” said Guadalupe. “I am grateful for this place because it's leading me to where I'm supposed to be in life. it's preparing me by giving me a sense of structure and having me focus on my spiritual life and being a good parent to my kids – not like my parents were to me. And it’s helping me become an independent person so I could provide for my kids.” Guadalupe is enjoying being a mother and building a bond with her family. She loves going to Mommy and Me classes and story time at the library. She loves spending time outside with the other mothers at the Mission and building relationships. She hopes to get into her own home soon with her children, and she dreams of one day working for City Mission or being an art teacher or art therapist. “I am thankful to the Mission because if I wasn't here, I don't know where I would be,” she said. “And because they are so loving to my kids. Kids are so precious and pure. And when they are small, that's when they really have to flourish. And the Mission gave me a place to live and showed me a lot of grace and mercy when I was at my lowest. When I was learning to let go of those bad habits.” Currently, our women with children shelter is at capacity, and there are struggling families getting the help they need. If you want help these families at City Mission, you can donate at www.citymission.org. “God shows us mercy and gives us help all the time, regardless of who we are and what we do,” said Guadalupe. “And He teaches us to do the same for others. Whenever there are others are in need, we should give.”

Tammy and Richard Get Their Keys

June 24, 2022

Tammy and her son, Richard, recently moved out of City Mission and into their very own place. Tammy first came to the Mission in November of last year from a drug treatment facility. When Tammy came to the Mission, she made it her purpose to regain custody of her son, who had been in the foster system for several years. While staying with us, she worked very hard on her drug and alcohol recovery, earned resume-building certificates at our Career Training and Education Center, and learned soft job skills while working in our Samaritan Care Center – all in an effort to not only better herself but also to reunite with her son. And all of her hard work finally paid off. “I’ll always remember the excitement Tammy had when she came to my office and told me that CYS was placing her child back with her full time,” said Sheila Namy, the Manager of our Women and Children Program. “I had never seen her smile so big as in that moment!” Richard, age 7, moved in with his Mom at our Women with Children Shelter and made himself right at home. “My favorite memory of Richard,” added Namy, “is of him walking around in the shelter dressed like one of the ghostbusters making sure the shelter was safe from ghosts.” Recently, Namy took Tammy and Richard to see their new home, and all three were overwhelmed with emotion. “When I walked with Tammy and Richard up to their new apartment,” said Namy, “and heard her exclaim that she’d never in her life had a place of her own and Richard was running around and around in the yard with excitement as he looked around at his new neighborhood. It’s moments like that that make every long workday so worth it!” So Tammy and Richard are starting a new chapter in their life, and they’re doing it together. The staff and residents of our Women with Children Shelter, prayed over them as they packed up and moved to their very own place for the first time together. “Our Mission family is really gonna miss them,” added Namy, “but we’re so happy they’ve found a new home.” When Tammy reunited with her son, Richard, it was a dream come true. Your support made it possible. Visit www.citymission.org to see how you can help make miracles happen at City Mission.

"I Serve a Merciful God"

June 2, 2022

Ed never touched any kind of drug until he was 50 years old. And then, in just 18 months, his sudden addiction destroyed a 30-year career and a 28-year marriage. He had a beautiful home, a loving family, and a very successful career in the tire industry. But it was a very stressful job. He also had serious health problems kick up along with some unresolved childhood trauma that was resurfacing, and he was burnt out. One day, one of his co-workers offered him something to help him relax. Ed took his first ever hit of a drug and said, “Where have you been all my life.” He gave his wife and daughter the house and made sure they had enough money. Then, he spent everything else he had on drugs. He was stuck in active addiction for 18 months. It ruined his life. Ed was born in Italy. His father was an Army Officer, and his family moved every few years. Tragically, Ed’s childhood was wracked with physical and mental abuse, creating trauma that would stay with him for the rest of his life. After graduating from Bishop-Canevin High School, he went to college at Wheeling University. A few years later, the owner of a local, independent tire company took him under his wing and taught him the business from the ground up. Eventually, Ed was running the whole business. He expanded the company from 6 locations when he started working there to 23 locations by the time it was sold to a national chain. After his initial, 18-month burst of drug abuse, he got clean and stayed clean for 12 years. He worked odd jobs and sustained his recovery even though he never fully worked the steps. “I thought I was connected with a God of my understanding,” he remembered. “But I never really gave my will over to Christ.” He relapsed in 2019 and then again in 2021. “2021 was a disastrous year,” he explained. “I was in a pit. I cried out to God. I just wanted to deaden my pain and forget.” He wanted to die. He went on a bender with the intention of blowing out his heart, and he ended up in the hospital for several weeks on suicide watch. When he got out of the hospital, he came to City Mission, and it was difficult at first. “I had no idea what to expect,” he admitted. And his past abuse bubbled to the surface yet again. “All men spooked me,” he said. His father had abused him for six years, so living in a men’s shelter was very challenging. “But what I found here when I came was an extremely organized program,” he added. “And the building is cleaner than most hospital rooms. Being here isn’t a consequence like I had originally thought. It’s a blessing. I’m overwhelmed with everybody on staff. They all know the Scriptures so well. It’s unfathomable to me at times. The staff here has been instrumental in helping me shape my understanding of the Bible and my relationship with God.” “Before I came to the Mission, I had no money,” he explained. “I was spiritually void. I had no place to live. I had suicidal thoughts, and I was taking the cowardly way out by using. But the best decision God made for me is when he directed me here. I know now that I can’t live my will anymore. I have to live in God’s will. And I profess that in my life.” At City Mission, Ed has turned his life around. He realized the importance of giving back. “The guys who are successful in this program are good at giving back,” he said. “I want to be of service and give back what the Mission has given to me.” Ed has become our librarian at the City Mission Library in Memory of Saige Knapp, where he keeps the books organized and manages the lending and return of books. “It’s wonderful,” Ed said of his time at the library. “The Mission trusts me to keep everything organized. And it’s quiet here. It can get noisy upstairs in the dorms. A little peace and quiet is a really important thing.”

"Part of the Family"

May 26, 2022

“I love you guys,” City Mission’s Work Readiness Manager, Matt Dorn, told a group of residents as he closed the sliding door of the City Mission van before it pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the road to our Vocational Training Center. Part of Matt’s job at the Mission is to get the residents off to their work readiness assignments every morning. “There is so much love here at City Mission. That’s why it works,” he said. “They love you from the gate no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done. They love you until you can love yourself. That’s what the Mission gave to me, and that’s what I want to give back to these guys.” In 2017, Matt was homeless. His parents had divorced when he was young, and he ended up being on his own at a young age, which left him with abandonment issues. So he always worked very hard to fit in. For him, that meant parties. At one point, he had a very successful job at a bank in his hometown of New Kensington. He had a good education, a good job, and he owned his own home. But his house quickly became the party house for him and his friends, and he began to fall deeper and deeper into drugs. Eventually, his drug use spiraled out of control and ruined all the good things in his life. He lost everything, and he ended up living on the streets. He would sleep at a 24-hour grocery store and steal cough syrup to stave off withdrawal symptoms. “For 8 years, I was in a fog,” he said. “I was just existing.” He went to rehab many times, but it never took. He even ended up spending time in jail for retail theft. “You’re not going to quit until you’re ready,” he explained. “Jesus has to look down on you and give you the grace to quit.” He was miserable and alone on the streets of New Kensington, so he moved to Pittsburgh and lived in a homeless community downtown, where his addiction actually escalated. At one point, Matt went into a porta-potty by himself to do drugs, and he got stuck there for 9 hours, because he was convinced that a bunch of people were waiting outside to attack him. Matt knew he needed to change his life. Finally, he came to the Mission in August of 2017, and the love City Mission poured out on him helped him change his life. Through the work readiness program at the Mission, Matt was introduced to Dave Foster, who at that time was the Mission’s kitchen supervisor. “In my early days at the Mission, I didn’t care about anything. I didn’t want to live,” Matt remembered. “But Dave Foster helped me care about life again. He taught me how to be a man and to build healthy boundaries. I’ll never forget it. I can never pay him back. I get emotional just talking about it.” It was the Mission’s work readiness program and the relationships he built through the program that started to turn Matt’s life around. And now, ironically, he is running the program. “I truly believe in my heart that God led me here,” he said. “I want to give back the way Dave Foster gave back to me when I first got here.” Since coming to the Mission, Matt has also met the love of life, Becky, and they are now happily married. City Mission also helped her when she was in need. She is now on staff at the Mission as well, and they are both giving back and showing love to those who are too hurt to love themselves. In addition to managing the Work Readiness program, Matt also runs our eBay Thrift Store, case manages a group of residents, and teaches three classes per week at City Mission. Becky is our RSS Supervisor for our Women and Women with Children shelters, and she also is the Intake Coordinator for those shelters as well. “The Mission saved my life two times,” Matt said. “Everyone on staff wants to help you. Everyone shows you love. It’s a family. I feel like part of the family.” You can become part of the City Mission family too. Visit www.citymission.org to see how you can partner with us or contact us at 724-222-8530 if you need help like Matt did.

City Mission's Poet Laureate

Randy reading a poem at City Mission Chapel

March 18, 2022

The first time I ever saw Randy, he got up during one of our regular, Monday morning chapel services and read a poem out loud in front of the whole Mission – staff and residents. The first thing I noticed about him was his confidence. He maybe wasn’t confident about every aspect of his life. I’m sure he had regrets and doubts about himself. He had a difficult life. He had been to jail. He had struggled with drug addiction and had hurt people who cared about him. But when he stood up there at the City Mission podium with his worn notebook of handwritten poetry, he just knew somehow that, in that moment, he was exactly where he was supposed to be. And he started to rattle off some soul-bearing poetry. And everyone started bobbing their heads – not just to the beat of his words but also to their truthfulness – in recognition that he was putting into words something that we all already knew and felt but had no words for. And we could all see that he was a kindred spirit. He had loved and lost. He had laughed and cried. He was striving and hoping for peace in this life. And when he was done, he walked back to his seat and sat back down with the rest of us – just like that. And I said to myself, “who is that guy?” Randy came to the Mission in June of last year from a drug and alcohol treatment center, and he made an instant impression. "Randy was willing to do anything for anyone at any time," said City Mission House Coordinator, Doug Bush. "He was particularly noted for sticking up for the weaker or sicker man." He grew up in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. He was raised by a single mother, and he started using drugs when he was just 9 years old. He had a rough life with plenty of bumps along the way. But when he finally committed his life to Christ, he started writing poetry. And he discovered some new and exciting part of himself that had been buried deep inside. And for as long as he was here at the Mission, every Monday at our weekly chapel service, he would go up to the podium with his worn notebook and lay down some beautiful and powerful poems that left us all speechless. Tragically, on Thursday, December 2 of last year, Randy passed away while on a home pass to attend his mother's funeral. But we at the Mission will never forget him or his poetry. This is what Wayne Heckman, our Manager of Men’s Services had to say about Randy, “Randy was beloved by both City Mission residents and staff. He served admirably as a Resident Assistant in the Men’s Program and was a stalwart presence in the kitchen where he prepared meals for our community. Randy was a great example to the community, and he was a brother in Christ. Randy had a great sense of humor, and often had words of wisdom to share, even in casual conversation. He was also a poet whose verse both inspired and encouraged members of our campus. His influence upon his fellow residents and staff will continue to be felt long past the present.” “Since I’ve been here at the Mission, God has been so good to me,” Randy once told me. “I’m surrounded by a great staff team who wants the best for me. I know I have a lot of work that must still be done, but I’m confident now that God has called me his son.” We miss you, Randy! Here is one of his electrifying poems… Can’t Pay You Back So this was the price you had to pay for me To be with me. To save and redeem me. You laid down here for me. Hung here for me. Died for me? You laid down here for me as they laughed at you? You laid down here for me as they nailed you, impaled you? You laid here as nails cut you? Pierced you? You laid down here for me? You hung here for me as your breath wouldn’t come and the blood wouldn’t stop. And nails and nails. You still are God, and could have come down and made the pain stop and the laughing stop. But you hung here for me. Died here for me, and I don’t have to pay you back? You’re doing all this for me? This for me as I robbed, stole, and cheated. As I lied, conned, and mistreated? You’re doing this for me after all the drugging and drinking? After all the lame excuses and not thinking? After going in and out of jail for all my wrongs. Leaving the house in the morning, staying out all night long. After all the times I left my wife alone. After all the opportunities and jobs I have blown. After getting two women pregnant at the same time? Gave up drinking water for a bottle of wine? After putting a gun in a man’s face? And got away without a trace? As I ripped and ran and didn’t care. Wouldn’t stop for you – like you weren’t even there. And you still doing this for me? Well…Father, the only thing I can say is, thank you for all you have done. And I’m humbled and grateful to be your son. Amen.

Walk with the King

February 4, 2022

“The desire in my heart is to help women in addiction and to let them know that there is help, and with Christ, all things all possible,” said Nettie Ledbetter, our Manager of Single Women Services, who passed away suddenly in her home last Saturday. Miss Nettie spent nearly 20 years serving at City Mission after finding hope here as a resident in 2001. She truly was an inspiration to all of our staff and residents, and she will be desperately missed. Nettie once said that when she first came here from a treatment center, lost and confused, 21 years ago, City Mission was able to love her before she was able to love herself, and that is exactly what she spent her life giving back to every single lady who walked through the doors of City Mission – unconditional love. She believed that when a woman came to the Mission broken and battered that the staff here could love her back to life. “Just to see the faces of the ladies light up,” she said in an interview in 2018, “after knowing that there are people who care and love them regardless of where they come from or the mistakes they’ve made or the grief that they have in their lives.” Catherine Plunkett came to City Mission in 2018 and lived for a time in our Single Women’s Shelter. She now works as the Receptionist at the Mission. She is one of the countless women who Miss Nettie helped to love back to life. “There is definitely something special about Miss Nettie,” she said. “I felt it through the phone during my intake interview while I was still in rehab. Before I even laid eyes on her, I could tell that she was someone who gives hope. During my time as a resident at City Mission, Miss Nettie helped me to trust and believe that I am worth it. Later on, as an employee of the Mission, I didn’t see her every day, but when I did, she would always have a smile on her face and greet me with, “Hi sweetie!”, which always warmed my heart. She was truly one of kind.” And if you ever had the privilege to meet Nettie, then you know exactly how her smile could light up your heart and make you feel loved. What a blessing she was to our staff, residents, and community! She gave her heart so freely and effortlessly to everyone she encountered, and everyone she ever met is better for it. There is no doubt that Nettie is rejoicing right now in the presence of our Savior. She is walking with the King! And we are all hurting now at her loss, but there will come a day when we will see her again and join her in rejoicing!

"God is the Answer!"

January 11, 2022

Christian grew up in a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood. His parents worked hard to give him a good life. “I had a very privileged childhood,” he explained. “I always had nice clothes. Nice things. I didn’t appreciate the things my family did for me. I was blessed, and I didn’t even see it.” Then, when he was in ninth grade, his parents divorced, and his life changed. His relationship with his family became strained, and he stopped going to church. When Christian was 18, his Dad kicked him out of the house – just a few months after his experimentation with drugs began. For two years, he lived with friends, sleeping on couches and in garages. He never had to sleep outside or on the street, but he was without a home for two years. “My Dad is my rock,” Christian said. “I may not always agree with him, but I love him for who he is. I understand now that he kicked me out of the house so I could learn to become an adult. I just wasn’t ready back then.” On January 2, 2020, Christian eventually ran out of options, and he decided to come to the Mission. He was only twenty years old. When Christian first moved into the Mission, it was a difficult transition. “When I first came here, it was very scary,” he said. “There was no one here my age. They’re all older. I used to hate being here…” “But,” he continued after some thought. “Being here at such a young age has been a blessing for me. It’s a miracle, actually. City Mission changes you. It changed me a lot. I’m all around a better person. I’ve been able to build trust again and re-build relationships. And I learn more about who I am every day. It’s an everyday process. A never-ending process.” At the Mission, Christian keeps himself busy. Now almost 23 years old, he still works at the same restaurant he started working at when he was 16 – starting out as a dishwasher and working his way up to cook. He is also studying Culinary Arts at Pittsburgh Technical College. He bought a car, which allows him to drive to work and to school. And he volunteers once a week at the Mission, riding on the Mission truck and picking up donations. He is also pursuing an interest in photography and even entered a local art show this past summer. Additionally, he deepened his relationship with God and committed himself to a life of following after Christ. And recently, his Section 8 paperwork came in, so he is working toward getting his own place. “Going to school. Going to work,” he said. “Getting up at 6am every day. It’s stressful to be a 22-year-old working on myself. But I’m blessed that the Mission looks at me like I’m 22. They don’t treat me like a child, but they look at me like I’m growing, and I love that!” “If I didn’t come to the Mission, I wouldn’t have gotten a car,” he shared. “I wouldn’t have gone to school. I don’t know where I’d be. I tell my friends to come here. A lot of people need this place -- if you feel like you need a change, if you need some structure.” “This place gives you structure, positivity, and God,” he added. “A lot of people need that. Drugs are not the answer. God is the answer!” You can help Christian and others like him at City Mission turn their lives around. Please give today and help transform another life. https://www.citymission.org/ways-to-help/donate#donate-money

Our Residents' Journeys

Our mission is to serve our residents. We continue to be amazed by their strength and courage, and we love to see God working in their lives! Read some of their stories and learn about their journey to the Mission and on to independent living.