What could possibly be more exciting than staring at a smartphone? Well, that’s what we’re hoping our Joshua Station youth might discover—and they already are. In our afterschool programs (in addition to tutoring and literacy), resident kids explore different passions and interests: new experiences, wide-ranging fields of knowledge, and life-giving skills. Upcoming showcases will include […]
End of Summer Celebration for our families at Joshua Station! Lots of fun thanks to Michelle Oh and volunteers from Redeemer Christian Church.
This summer we’re celebrating Crystal Ortega and her family moving from Joshua Station into long-term stable housing. What mixed emotions this always brings! It’s hard to let go of this era—for them and us. Crystal blessed us by doing a brave thing at her graduation ceremony and celebration. Decked out in cap and tassle, sharing […]
“I’m having a really bad day,” says a young boy at Joshua Station. “It’s because of the Spanish people.” The Spanish people? “They don’t understand what I say.” His eyes glisten with tears. “I say it again and again, and they don’t know what I’m saying.” Somewhere else in the building, a Spanish-speaking child is […]
“The people that come are really nice,” says Joshua Station resident Farah (age 7), of our many summer volunteers. “They say I’m doing a great job. That makes me feel good. I like learning to do new things.” Farah, and dozens of her fellow youth residents, have enjoyed a jam-packed summer of enriching day camp […]
It’s a Joshua Station “tradition unlike any other.” Down the stairway they come, mom and kids, beaming. Their own individually-chosen theme music is cranked to high volume in order to be heard over raucous cheers and tasseled party blowers. Up the center aisle they stride and then turn to face the crowd. Mom adjusts her […]
Dear Friends, We can never forget that homelessness is not simply “an issue” or a “social problem” or “statistics.” Each person experiencing homelessness, as author Donald Burnes reminds us, is “Someone’s Somebody”—a precious son, sibling, parent, neighbor, or friend. And let us never forget, each one is beloved of God. Along with that essential focus, […]
Dear friends, Can I share a giving opportunity with you, and say a few words by way of background? The opportunity: We’re approaching the end of our fiscal year (June 30) with a $145,000 shortfall. It’s certainly not for lack of generosity among so many of you who recently have opened your hearts and wallets […]
Amid the current crisis of housing in our city and around the world, two simple priorities rise above the others: build housing and build community. This is my primary takeaway from Kevin Adler and Donald Burnes’s important book, When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America. […]
Often, we delight in sharing remarkable stories of our residents at Joshua Station and Clara Brown Commons—as well as the volunteers and donors who join them in support. This time, will you join me in a step back for a wide view? I’d like to share some ways our staff and board team are thinking […]
