You Gave Michael Joy and a Family!
Michael starts each day with joy. While he once struggled with homelessness, he is now a full-time staff member with the Mission with his own apartment – a dream come true.
Michael is an only child who struggled in school; he was easily distracted. In the midst of these struggles, he and his mother moved from Washington D.C. to Jamaica, Australia, and then to England. With each move, they stayed with a relative for a short time and tried to find a fresh start. Unfortunately, they never found the stability which they needed to succeed.
When Michael was in his early 20s, he returned to Washington D.C. Without a family to lean on or a strong support system, he made some desperate decisions. While searching for true joy and love, a few grave missteps caused him to be incarcerated. Once released from prison, he was determined to succeed. He came to Philadelphia to escape the grips of negative relationships, including his marriage. When he arrived in the City of Brotherly Love, Michael was searching for a place to stay and found his way to Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission in April 2019.
He came to the Mission not expecting much, but he found what he had been searching for his entire life a loving family who believed in him and supported him. The staff showed him God’s love; they walked with him through struggles and empowered him to grow. While staying in the emergency shelter, he began to volunteer at the Mission. He then was invited to join the Mission’s “NEXT LEVEL” transitional housing program. As a NEXT LEVEL resident, he began to grow spiritually and renew his commitment to learning new skills. This program involved him in various duties such as cleaning the dining room after meals; and with each passing week, the Homeless Services staff saw his potential to grow. “A long time, I have cried. I thought I could never live without my mother, but my family here at Sunday Breakfast proved me wrong,” Michael shared with a smile.
Michael started to support the guest in-take team, as well as the guest baggage team. He excelled at caring for homeless guests. After a few months, he earned a paid position as a part-time Homeless Services Staff Member and in December 2019, he became a full-time team member.
For the first time in his life, Michael is earning a living wage. As soon as he became full-time he found his own apartment in order to reconcile with his wife. She had moved to Philadelphia from Baltimore to begin again, working through past hurts. They have found a church too.
“Every person at Sunday Breakfast has taught me something, they have shown me who I can be... who I should be,” Michael says in a quiet voice.
“Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission saved my life,” Michael continues. “Jeremy, the ‘coach,’ taught me about leadership and to believe in myself. Rich C. has taught me that hard work pays off. Daryl taught me brotherhood. Erin has taught me compassion. And, I would like to thank the whole volunteer team because without them I wouldn’t know what a team is.”
God is transforming Michael, and his dreams are coming true every day. He has found his family, and you are a member of Michael’s family too.
