2025 December #1
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
Have you ever been a caregiver? It can be a very stressful and exhausting situation.
It’s a continual battle to meet the constant demands of the person needing help, as well as making sure the needs of the person providing the care are taken care of. It’s important for the caretaker to be kept healthy and well in order to complete the tasks included in their job.
There are so many mixed emotions involved, such as love, anxiety, joy, frustration, loneliness, and others. There are certainly some “ups and downs” involved – on a daily basis.
Although taking care of someone can provide a rewarding feeling, at times, it can also drain the caretaker from all emotion. If the person giving the assistance has no availability to take care of their own needs, the situation can become overwhelming.
It’s vital for the caregiver to take time out for themselves before the situation becomes explosive.
That’s exactly the place where Paige (not her real name) found herself. She needed to make some major changes in her life.
Here’s her story:
I had been taking care of a family member for many years. I was stuck in that same rut for such a long time that I felt like I was going nowhere. It got to the point where it was consuming every moment of my day.
I had no quality of life for myself. So, I decided to leave and find a place of my own before things got worse.
That didn’t work out so well since the amount of money I had was too small for a safe area. I didn’t have another job, yet, either.
I wasn’t sure what to do.
I couldn’t believe I was homeless. So, when I heard about a shelter that takes in families, I decided to go there. Even though I didn’t have a family, I thought it would be safer for me than other shelters.
When I got here [Joy Junction], I was told about the Christ in Power Program and how it helps people turn their situation around. I decided that a program like that was exactly what I needed. I needed something to help direct me toward a better future.
I committed to the program and worked hard. After I graduated, I was able to find a job at a store. I have been able to save and pay for a used car, too. My housing help from the city will allow me to be independent…finally. My life is changing for the better!
I am so very grateful for all the help Joy Junction has given me!
In Paige’s case, the role was reversed for her and WE became the caregiver.
It’s a disheartening situation, to be sure, when a person finds themselves in a homeless position. Frustration, depression, anger, and fear are sometimes a part of the equation. But, once the initial realization and acceptance that a person is homeless has been lifted, they are faced with the question of how to begin again.
Just like for Paige, we are here to help answer that question. We are happy to provide a warm bed, and three homemade meals a day, for every day that a person stays with us. We also offer programs to help them move forward. Making the choice to turn their lives around is a major step toward doing just that.
Homelessness does not have to be the end result. Many times, it is just a stepping stone to the next phase of life. It is a hard place to be in, for sure, but it CAN be turned around.
It may sound weird, but we are thrilled when we get to say goodbye to a resident guest. That means they have been successful in turning their life’s situation around. It’s a wonderful thing!
Until that point, though, one of the ways we help with their transformation is by cooking and serving a special meal during the Christmas holiday season. We want them to remember that they are important and do not have to feel left out when they think most of the “rest of their world” is celebrating.
Each year, to encourage those who are displaced from their home, we provide a citywide holiday feast event at the convention center for Christmas.
This year it will be held on Friday, December 19th, from 11AM to 2PM. This meal is available for anyone who is homeless, hungry, or does not have the means to cook a special meal.
We would love for you to be a part of that event by helping us provide all that is required to prepare and serve the special meal.
If you’d like to send in a financial gift to partner with us, please use one of the following options:
- Send a check/money order to Joy Junction, PO Box 20550, Albuquerque, NM 87154
- Go to www.joyjunction.org and donate by credit card
- Call 505-217-9586 to donate by credit card
We hope you have a blessed Christmas season!
