Having worked for years with men and women struggling with homelessness, I’ve had many conversations with people about the causes of homelessness and why it’s difficult for some homeless people to work their way out of it. Sometimes people wonder aloud if everyone who is homeless wants help - especially those who’ve been homeless for a long time and don’t appear to be trying to improve their situation.

My response is always the same: Nobody really wants to be homeless. Some people appear to be okay with it, but that’s only because they no longer have hope that their life can be better than it is. They don’t believe things will ever change for them, so they stop trying.

Our intention, when we welcome them into our shelter on a bitter night, is to provide a glimmer of hope that things CAN be better for them, that we care, and that we’ll help. We lead with compassion, because we trust that, by doing so, they’ll trust us to partner with them in their own life transformation.

That’s why I’m blessed to see so many men step up to help our homeless community by volunteering at our overnight shelter this winter. Everyone needs hope, and many of those we serve have the greatest need. There is no hope like Jesus, and we are His hands and feet to combat the hopelessness of the world.

For those of you who have helped at the shelter, and to those who will, we thank you!

-Mark Grasso, Director of Operations & Adult Ministries, Jericho Partnership

p.s. We are still in need of a few men to volunteer as overnight shelter attendants through early April. Contact volunteer@jerichopartnership.org