For many years, Joy Junction has been in desperate need of new housing and renovation to more adequately serve those who count on us every day. Thanks to those who have supported us, we have been able to construct a housing complex and guard shack, and we have renovated two barracks to better serve those who come to us for help.
One barrack is used for short-term overnight single females and the other barrack is for short-term overnight single males. Families are kept together in the housing complex, along with all the other program participants. Our guard shack has two rooms, as well, each holding three beds, allowing for six individuals. (Should we have male and female guests, they will be separated by gender, three per room.) All three situations allow us to keep the multi-purpose building (Multi) free of floor mats, on a consistent basis, so it can function as it needs to – as a central “command post” for daily activities and meals.
The Multi receives continual use. Currently, the Multi serves as the dining and food preparation facility for approximately 16,000 hot meals per month (including about 6,000 meals for the Lifeline of Hope truck), and houses the largest bathroom and shower area available for our guests.
The front office, program office, staff offices, kitchen, and other general-purpose areas surrounding the large dining room are in constant use. As well, all Bible studies, chapel services, spiritual activities, and other teachings are presently conducted in the Multi. Not having to place mats down in the large room helps with the efficiency of our daily/nightly activities and duties. We are hopeful that the future includes a new dining hall and commercial kitchen, so we can use the Multi for activities, classes, and events.
Because of the updated building spaces, we are able to house up to 350 individuals per night. We thank all of those who have given toward these projects and remain hopeful that more donations will be given to help us continue to move forward as more projects come along.
We have a Christ in Power Program that uses the Tyndale Bible for a nine-month life recovery class. This program almost always requires a change in participants’ thinking.
With this fundamental change in thought process and reasoning, new training is always a necessity. Many of our program graduates find that what they have been doing in their lives, up to the point of arriving at Joy Junction, has not worked. They seek change. To properly effect that change, new knowledge is paramount.
In our future, we hope to build a vocational training center which would allow us to not only expand our life skills offerings, but would also allow local educational organizations the ability to have satellite classes. This would be essential in making sure that everyone who is helped by Joy Junction is given the proper tools to be successful, and able to effectively reintegrate into mainstream society.
