News Release from Joy Junction.
Call Jeremy Reynalds at (505) 400-7145 for more information. While the season of giving is long gone, Joy Junction Homeless Shelter's Lifeline of Hope Mobile Food Wagon continues to quietly tour the streets of Albuquerque and the surrounding area. Officially launched on Nov. 1 2009, the Lifeline-in operation five days a week-is providing as many as 6,000 meals a month. The Lifeline serves up an array of items including chili, soup, sack lunches, coffee and beverages. Add that to the 10,000 meals or so served monthly at its South Valley location, and Joy Junction is now serving about 16,000 meals monthly.In addition, whenever available, the Lifeline dispenses personal hygiene kits and clothing.
Driven by Joy Junction Founder and CEO Dr. Jeremy Reynalds on Fridays and Sundays weekly (and Joy Junction Staffer Joseph Taylor for another three days each week), the Lifeline makes stops at homeless hot spots city wide. Reynalds said, "I hope we bring a little hope and cheer to those most in need. There are so many people in Albuquerque who for whatever reason will not come to Joy Junction or any other shelter or agency, to get the help they need. With that in mind, we'll take help and a big dollop of hope to them." Reynalds added, "And as we approach the summer months, this outreach could make the difference between life and death to someone hot and dehydrated, hungry and frightened." The Lifeline of Hope has an interesting history. Reynalds said that in addition to those individuals who don't make use of a shelter, Joy Junction is forced to nightly to turn away people because of a lack of space. Reynalds envisioned a truck that could meet the homeless who remain on the streets, and provide warm food and drinks to show that someone cares. Summit President and CEO Victor R. Jury Jr., a long-time supporter of Joy Junction, read about the idea in a shelter newsletter. He found the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado that had been converted into a catering truck on eBay. It was in West Palm Beach, Fla. He bought the vehicle for Joy Junction, and donated Reynalds one of his free airline tickets to pick it up. Jury said, "When I read Jeremy's newsletter article in which he shared his vision for a mobile catering vehicle to provide a homeless person a warm cup of cocoa or coffee, some soup or a sandwich or maybe a blanket or jacket on a cold day, I couldn't stop thinking about how simple and doable it was." He added, "Knowing that until folks like us step up and help Jeremy build more capacity at Joy Junction, he has to turn people away at night made it unconscionable to do nothing. This is the first step. The next order of business is for our company and community to step up and build more capacity at Joy Junction. Children should not be forced to sleep outdoors or in a car, especially on a cold winter night." While a few donors joined Summit in giving a modest amount of start-up resources, Reynalds said to adequately sustain and perhaps expand the Lifeline outreach, he is counting on the community to provide financial and volunteer support. About Joy Junction Joy Junction, a Christian ministry founded in 1986, provides food, shelter and safety to about 300 people on a daily basis. The shelter accepts families, as well as individual men and women, and provides a "life recovery program" that teaches job skills and social skills to help the homeless regain employment and housing. About Summit Electric Supply Founded in 1977, Summit Electric Supply is an independent wholesale distributor of electrical equipment. Headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M., Summit operates 19 service centers in four states, a global export division based in Houston, a marine division based in New Orleans, and a sales office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For more information, go to www.summit.com.
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