Joy Junction Blog

2021 December #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) We’ve all heard the phrase “time flies” before…which, as we know, means time is passing faster than what we consider as “normal.” When we were kids, we may have thought the days during the school year were extra long and the days during the summer holiday were way too short. … Read More

2021 December #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Receiving a gift is always such a nice feeling, right? Gifts are given for all kinds of reasons. The usual gift-giving times are a birthday, an anniversary, or a holiday celebration. Sometimes, gifts are even given randomly as an act of kindness. Usually, though, when a gift is given, they … Read More

November 30, 2021 The annual Thanksgiving Day feast at Joy Junction was covered by KOAT 7. Reporter Breana Albizu visited the shelter to see how Joy Junction and its volunteers gave back to the local community by providing a feast for those in need. You can view the video and read the full story at KOAT 7.

2021 November #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) I wonder what you think about when the term “homeless shelter” is mentioned to you? Do you think of a place where people are dirty and crowded into rooms like cattle? Do you think of a place where people are constantly asking you for money? Do you think of a … Read More

2021 November #1 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Have you ever made plans to meet someone for an event or activity and they never showed up, leaving you standing alone, waiting? When someone is a “no show” and they haven’t taken the time to call you to alert you to the change of plan, it can make you … Read More

2021 October #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Can you imagine it? There it is…the colorful Thanksgiving tablecloth used every year and on top of it you see the roasted turkey or ham with all the fixings. You’ve anticipated it ever since the day after last Thanksgiving. Do you prefer dressing or stuffing?…mashed potatoes with butter or cubed … Read More

2021 October By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Suppose you have worked many years in the same job, but then the company gained a new owner and downsized the employee count causing you to lose your job… Suppose you’ve been as healthy as can be and then an unexpected illness hits you and causes you to be off from … Read More

2021 September #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Most of us look forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The title for this holiday is aptly named, as taking time to give thanks is something we all should do every day. Setting aside a day to intentionally do this every year is important. Are we thankful? We live in … Read More

2021 September By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Change comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, it’s a good thing, and sometimes, it’s filled with anxiety, uneasiness, confusion, or any number of other things. But, as long as we are breathing, we can know for sure that change does and will come. Some change is expected, like when a … Read More

August, 27 2021 Joy Junction was featured on the August 25th episode of New Mexico Living to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Joy Junction, and to talk about the opening of the new Thrift Shoppe location on Menaul. Click the image below to see the article on the New Mexico Living website and to watch the video.

2021 August By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Most people have heard the saying “it takes a village to raise a child,” meaning everyone makes a difference in the well-being and teaching of that child. Well, we want to take that a step further, and say “it takes a city of caring, compassionate people to provide for the homeless.” … Read More

2021 July By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Waiting is hard. It just is… We live in a fast-paced world where we expect a “microwave result” and don’t feel we have time for a “crock-pot solution.” When we are going through a rough patch of life, the waiting seems even longer. There’s just no guarantee that what we are … Read More

2021 June #2 By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Most of us think of a community as a large group of people who have a common geographical location. However, another definition of a community could be described as a gathering of people who join together for a common interest or goal. It’s a unit of people who choose to … Read More

2021 June By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Do you recall the times when the ground was so thirsty it began to crack? In the New Mexico desert areas, especially in the locations that have clay in the soil, we can experience some pretty deep cracks. On rare occasions, we may get enough moisture to cause the ground to … Read More

2021 May By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) It’s getting warmer outside… Are you getting ready for some summertime road trips? Can you feel the excitement in the air as people talk about needing a change of scenery? After being cooped up for what may seem like months, some of us are preparing for time away from home. It’s … Read More

2021 April By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Things are a bit different these days, because of the pandemic. Change is all around us to some degree. Some people embrace change, and some people reject it strongly. We are all different and will respond in the manner that our temperament lends itself to. But truth be told, we have … Read More

2021 March By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) You can see it every time you step out the door. The plants have little buds beginning to bulge out from their stems, and the winds are blowing the winter debris all around. They are the signs of a new season getting ready to embark upon our lives. Spring is approaching … Read More

2021 February By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Couch surfing… Ever heard of it? Believe it or not, there are two different kinds of couch surfing. One form is used for budget travelers. The vacationers will choose a more inexpensive type of lodging and may either pay for the use of someone’s couch for overnight stints, or they “repay” … Read More

2021 January By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Do you ever dream about the future? Are there things in your life that you’d like to change? When the new year approaches, many of us begin to think about how the last year went and what can be altered, upgraded, or changed to make things better. Often, we begin thinking … Read More

2020 December By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Wow… Can you believe it? The end of the year is here already. For some, it feels like two blinks were taken and the days were gone. We just got used to writing 2019 on our paperwork when 2020 arrived, and now 2021 is just about here. The years come and … Read More

December 16th, 2020 Joy Junction’s CEO Elma Reynalds was featured on New Mexico Living on December 11th to discuss how people can help Joy Junction during the season of giving. A big thank you to the team at New Mexico Living, Chad Brummett, Sara Rose, and Alexis Romero for having Elma on to discuss how Joy Junction continues to help … Read More

2020 November By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Thanksgiving comes each year, like clockwork, whether we are ready for it or not. This particular holiday can be complicated for those who simply feel there is nothing to be thankful about. Originally, during the Thanksgiving season, people gathered to express their thanks for the wonderful bounty provided by hard work … Read More

October 26th, 2020 KRQE 13 reported on the installation of new solar power on the dream house complex at Joy Junction. You can read the full article on the KRQE Website – Joy Junction Receives Solar Power.

2020 September By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Here we are again…another summer season has ended. But, boy is it hot! The heat is still sweltering on some days. When you drive around town, you can see homeless people tucked in corners or under a tree or beside structures trying to find shade as they wait for the sun … Read More

In a recent article in the Alibi, author Gwynne Anne Unruh discusses the increase of hunger in our city, state, and country as well as the impact of COVID-19 on the hunger crisis. She details how food banks are seeing an increase of people served and how New Mexico ranks among the worst in the nation for hunger, for both … Read More

2020 August By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Each of us experience hardships, a ridge of some sort, on the road that we are traveling in this life. For example, a speed bump is placed on a road to control the speed of vehicles, to slow them down, just as unexpected events arrive in our lives to slow us … Read More

2020 July By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Yes! It’s true. We’ve been here for 34 years…and we couldn’t have done it without you! Our faithful supporters are very much loved and depended on for the continual ministry we seek to carry on every day of the year. Without the help of compassionate people, who really do want to … Read More

2020 June By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) We all have obligations and responsibilities that we focus on and make sure are completed each day, week, month, and year…every year. Completing tasks are part of everyday life. Sometimes, we get to choose specific tasks to complete. Sometimes, we don’t. Our ministry is no different. We have obligations that must … Read More

2020 May By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) Do you have a home? …a vehicle? …a job? Even if you have one of those three, you could be looked at as very blessed by those who do not have any of them. Many who find themselves homeless, once owned homes that they thought they’d be in forever. But, all … Read More

2020 April By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF) So, there you are, stuck in traffic… There’s no way to move forward or backward. You have tons of things to accomplish during this particular day and even more on your mind. But, there’s nothing you can do. You just have to stay put until the car in front of you … Read More