By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO, Joy Junction Inc. With recent national attention on our city’s efforts to reduce homelessness and panhandling in the last couple of years, it’s curious why the total number of homeless individuals doesn’t go down. If anything, according to whom you ask and which statistics you believe, it keeps increasing. In addition, we’re still … Read More
Joy Junction Guests Share Touching Stories about What They’d Like Their Legacies to Be.
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Most people hope their lives will make a difference. They want their time on earth to count for something and be remembered as making an impact. It’s called a legacy. For example. A retiring company president might leave a legacy of honesty and integrity, or one of dishonesty and greed. … Read More
Joy Junction’s Life Recovery Program Produces Changed Lives
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. When you hear the word homeless, what comes to mind? I’m guessing you may think of the prolific number of panhandlers we have in Albuquerque, someone shuffling through Downtown with a loaded shopping bag, or a person waving his hands to the sky and talking enigmatically to an invisible … Read More
Why the Homeless, Albuquerque, and America Need the “Opposition Party.”
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. There’s a tendency to “write off” some professions. It’s a very bad habit. For years, victims have included used car salesmen and preachers. Now the media have joined that “elite” list. The media were recently derisively referred to as the country’s “opposition party.” This is a tragic lowering of our … Read More
Stop It and Communicate! Helping the Homeless “Takes a Village,” and Means Brushing Angry Homeless “Partisanship” and More Into the Corner
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. With ongoing national attention of our city’s ongoing efforts to reduce homelessness and panhandling, it’s curious why the total number of homeless individuals doesn’t go down. If anything, according to who you ask and which statistics you believe, it keeps increasing. In addition, we’re reminded of the sometimes deadly effects of … Read More
Homeless Man’s Valentine’s Day Wish to Study the Bible With His Wife , Give Her Roses and Take Her to Eat at Burger King.
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Flowers, candy and cards mark Valentine’s Day, and while crassly commercial and criticized by some, isn’t a day of kindness and love (however superficial) better than more politics, especially in this day of seemingly never ending partisan rancor? Just in case you’re curious, Valentine’s Day as we know it today … Read More
City Residents Concerned About Poor Decision Making and Laziness Being Contributory Factors to Homelessness. Shelter Gets Shocking Emails about the Homeless.
by Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. A new survey carried out for Joy Junction by NM Research and Polling, revealed that 54 percent of residents believe poor decision making and laziness are factors that contribute to homelessness. That’s a potential problem in a city where we have an ever increasingly serious hunger and homelessness problem. At … Read More
Survey Shows Concern about Homelessness Right Behind Albuquerque’s Spiraling Crime Rate
NEWS RELEASE FROM JEREMY REYNALDS AT JOY JUNCTION CONTACT: info@joyjunction.org In a revealing new survey carried out for Joy Junction by NM Research and Polling, when asked about issues facing residents in the Albuquerque area, seventy percent of respondents felt homelessness is a problem, while 43 percent feel it is a very serious problem. Hispanics, those with a household income … Read More
Homeless Share Simple, but Poignant New Year Resolutions.
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. They include getting teeth replaced and spending more time with kids. With Thanksgiving, Christmas and now even the new year behind us, are you still thinking about new year’s resolutions? You know, stuff like resolving to be a better person, changing jobs, quitting smoking, eating less and exercising more, or … Read More
Compassion or Judgment? What’s Your 2017 New Year’s Resolution?
by Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. They’re all over Albuquerque and cities nationwide, holding a variety of signs designed to get you to fork over some spare change. Panhandling verbiage ranges from a simple, “Hungry. God bless,” to “Too honest to steal and too ugly to prostitute.” What do you do? Sometimes it can seem like … Read More
Homeless Shelter Guests Thank Donors Who Make Services Possible
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Joy Junction’s more than 30 year existence is due to God’s faithfulness and community support. We have thousands of generous people who have supported this outreach of compassion for years. Without them, the lifesaving nights of shelter and thousands of meals served each month wouldn’t be possible. We don’t hesitate … Read More
No More Inmates or I’m Done Volunteering.
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. The marginally measured invective attacked my soul like rusty nails on a chalkboard. The email was from one of the many wonderful volunteers at our recent community wide Thanksgiving dinner at the Albuquerque Convention Center. It was attended by 1,400 plus hungry and homeless people, and hundreds of volunteers who … Read More
Dubbed “Toxic Charity” by Some, It’s Really Helping Those Who Can’t Help Themselves.
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Tragically, a bumper sticker “theology” with a Darwinian survival of the fittest twist has caught on among some of those who help the hungry and homeless. A Ventura newspaper succinctly summed up what its adherents believe. That the giving of food, showers, clothing and other no-strings “handouts” enable a homeless … Read More
Homeless but Still Thankful at Thanksgiving. What’s Your Gratitude Level?
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. It’s almost “Thanksgiving” again at Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter. It’s hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving Day will mark the 31st successive time we have shared the blessing of Thanksgiving with Albuquerque’s many homeless and abused women and homeless families. I’m so thankful to the … Read More
HUD Report’s Questionable Conclusions that Homelessness is Down in New Mexico is Not Something for Which We Should Give Thanks
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Maybe the bureaucrats at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are the only ones who really believe the agency’s report that homelessness is on the decline. According to HUD’s latest national estimate, homelessness continues to decrease in the U.S, specifically among families with children, veterans, and individuals … Read More
Working Full Time, Living in Poverty and Giving to the Homeless
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. There’s a belief among some that people who work full time don’t usually live in poverty. But is it true? We asked some of our Joy Junction guests, and also posed the question on our Facebook page. It drew expected, but also some surprising and heated answers. So what is … Read More
Time for Prayer, Grace and Words of Healing
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Joy Junction Homeless Shelter Guest. “Elected officials come and go, but Jesus endures forever.” Unity and reconciliation should now be uppermost on the mind of our still deeply divided country. Prayer, grace and words of healing should be in abundance. If any of your words and attitudes have injured anyone … Read More
Some Albuquerque Homeless Realize That Whoever Wins on Nov. 8, the Sun Will Still Shine on Nov. 9 and Jesus Will Still be Lord. Do You?
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Election coverage is dominating the news cycle. While one candidate calls his opponent a nasty woman and she fires back that he’s a puppet of (Russian President ) Vladimir Putin, millions go hungry and their plight is practically dismissed by most American media as viewers complain but revel in the … Read More
Former City Chief Public Safety Officer Concerned Albuquerque’s There’s a Better Way Program Doesn’t Require Background Checks for Workers
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Former Deputy City Attorney and Chief Public Safety Officer Pete Dinelli said City’s lack of background checks for “A Better Way” Program are “are exposing people to unnecessary risk” and City couldn’t escape liability in the event of an incident According to its website, in September 2015, the City of … Read More
Joy Junction: 48 Hours
By Jeremy Reynalds,Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Serving on the front lines of Joy Junction, they are often appreciated, but sometimes cussed at and threatened. However, they keep on working because they care for the homeless and hungry, and love Jesus. They are our resident services supervisors at Joy Junction. Here’s a look at a recent 48 hours … Read More
Religion and Services for the Homeless. An Immoral Combination?
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. A while ago, I was flabbergasted to hear about the head of a homeless agency who reportedly thought it is “immoral” to mix religion with delivery of services to the homeless. There are others who also believe the same way. Maybe he or his clients have had bad experiences with … Read More
From Coke, Meth and Alcohol Addiction to Joy Junction Chaplain
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Joy Junction Chaplain Marcos Atwood is a firm believer in the power and importance of prayer. On a recent Monday morning he started the day by praying with guests and staff – a tradition his predecessor and mentor former Chaplain Gene Shiplet initiated. Then he helped a married couple whose … Read More
The Homeless Have Mixed Emotions About the Holidays
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. While for many of us the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays will be a great time of celebration with family and friends, that is often not the case for the homeless. We asked a few of our Joy Junction guests how they feel about the holidays. One woman said the … Read More
Bashing the Poor, Hungry and Homeless
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Insults and demeaning statements can be a major part of what it means to be homeless, hungry and obviously needy. A recent article in the British Daily Mail said that “welfare addicts” are costing Australians billions of dollars. According to one study, the annual price tag for welfare here in … Read More
The Media, The Homeless and a Basket of Deplorables
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. By the way some people react to the homeless, you’d think they believe they’re equivalent to a basket of deplorables, as well as being similar in nature to a religious group once dismissively described as largely poor, uneducated and easy to command. While there are many wonderful, caring and giving … Read More
Fifteen Years after 9/11, Hope for Love, Help and Kindness Overshadowed by Cavernous Political Divide and Angry Nation
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. On the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11, we again remember the events of that terrible day and the thousands whose lives were lost to those awful attacks. While I have my own story which I’ll share later, I wondered what some of our current Joy Junction guests were doing on that … Read More
“Let’s Do Lunch. You Buy!”
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. The sign is very clear. Held by a plaintive looking middle-aged man it reads, “Let’s do lunch. U-buy.” Would you? I would for sure. I’m never without $5.00 fast food gift cards in my car, which I offer to those who ask. They’re always gratefully received. I also offer my Joy … Read More
Grateful Hearts Even in a Difficult Time
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. It’s never easy being homeless. It’s probably one of the most stressful times in your life, and while we try to do the best we can for those staying with us at Joy Junction, we wanted to see what they thought. With that in mind, we asked a few of … Read More
Things I Hated To Do.
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. While the harsh realities of life give us a lot to pray for, sometimes it can all get a bit overwhelming and we need some good news. There are many wonderful things happening around us that don’t draw media attention, and they include some of the lives being transformed at … Read More
Albuquerque Being Touted Nationally as a Role Model for Helping the Homeless, so why are there Panhandlers on Every Other Street Corner?
By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. It’s been about 15 months since blue signs sprouted like mushrooms all over Albuquerque encouraging people to call 311 instead of giving to panhandlers. By so doing, those with a heart to help were told they could donate to local food banks, and the homeless or hungry unaware of local … Read More