Amber lost her only caretaker, her mother, and became homeless. But even in her own struggle, she’s been a source of hope for others.

Our team calls her the camp’s cheerleader. She tells everyone about the services we offer, even if they’re not ready to accept help yet. She encourages her neighbors and believes change is possible, even when it feels far away.

Amber has already connected dozens of people within her camp to our team. She stays in the camp to encourage her neighbors to work towards stability. Amber’s story isn’t finished, but she’s already helping others begin theirs.

“They’re going to be okay. Now I can start my own path toward stability.”

So many of our stories begin in places you might recognize, like under bridges or on street corners. But this one begins in a storm drain.

That’s where our Street Outreach team found James—hidden, hurting, and battling addiction. He looked us in the eye and said, “I’m done. I want out. I need help.” James told us he was at a crossroads—steal to survive and likely end up in jail, or get clean.

James chose courage.

What made the difference? His older brother Anthony. Clean for four years, Anthony’s transformation gave James hope that recovery was possible.
Today, James is in detox, waiting to move into a sober living program. And already, he’s thinking about how he can help his younger brother, Michael—still in the storm drain, not yet ready to take that first step.

When our Street Outreach team met William, his encampment had just been cleared, and he was trying to figure out what to do next. William is a veteran with serious health challenges, including glaucoma, diabetes, schizophrenia, a hernia, and a brain infection. When we initially offered help, he declined. This is common. Many of our homeless neighbors don’t say yes to getting off the streets right away. Years of trauma, survival instincts, and past disappointments make trust difficult.

We had the opportunity to pray with William and let him know we were here when he was ready. He cried as we prayed, and we knew seeds of hope had been planted.A week later, we got a call from the hospital. It was William. He was ready to take the first step. That day, we helped him get into a specialized VA program that can address his medical needs. He’s on the road to healing and recovery, but ultimately, William needs long-term care in a healthy community.

Shonda had been living in a cycle of abuse, trying to numb the pain with drugs that slowly took over her life. Addiction, for so many of our neighbors, is about dealing with trauma. It is a response to pain that feels impossible to name, let alone escape.

What stood out about Shonda wasn’t her addiction, though. It was her courage. When she called, she said, “I cannot fight this alone.”

That day, at OurCalling, Shonda found a safe place to begin healing and work with our care ministers on an exit plan. A path to safety. A plan for healing. Today, she’s in a recovery community overcoming her addiction and is on the road to stabilization.