“I’ve always been a heavy drinker. After a while it was getting old,” says Jim. He continues, “I was a construction worker until the economy went under around 2008. I pulled out all my savings and ended up spending all my money on partying. After the party was over, I realized it didn’t satisfy. My money ran out and I found myself without a home. I needed a break.”

Jim needed a fresh start! That is what he found in the mission’s Fresh Start Program.

Jim states, “I heard about the mission from my father. He comes for meals every day. I came for meals for about four months and was able to get a bed as I continued to work. I was soul searching and asking God to help me. Having a home base here is key to working. If you don’t have one, it depresses you. I would visit the chapel here too. I really loved the messages. I found myself looking forward to it. I told my family about the chapel and how I loved hearing about God. They were excited for me and invited me to their church and six months later, I made the decision to be baptized.

In this Fresh Start Program and I am getting things together, including my finances. I have been taking odd jobs to save up and hope to find permanent work. I love to sky dive and play my guitar. When I graduate, I might even tour with an old band I used to play with; it will be great to have a reunion. By coming here, it allowed me to collect my thoughts, figure out what needed to be done, get my fines taken care of, and get my contractor’s license renewed. People say to me now, ‘You are looking good, you are looking healthy.’ I see the change in others and I feel the change in me. I have sworn off drinking forever. The reason I’m here is because it is sober living. I don’t want to have roommates that drink. What I want is to be sober. I’m grateful and I know in hindsight that I will look back and be overly grateful. I am happy to be here and appreciate all the Fresh Start Program has done for me and for allowing me to get my life together and have a fresh start.”