MEET JOSH.
Since July, Josh has been a member of our Safe Parking community.
Recently, we caught up with him to hear about his experience with C@P and learn about the impact of physical donations in his journey.
Here’s what Josh shared with us:
I had been living in my truck for a bit. Basically I was just trying to find secluded locations in and out of town where there weren’t too many people around. Life wasn’t absolutely terrible, but it was definitely not as healthy as it could be. My eating habits were poor because I didn’t have access to anything other than my truck. I also had to spend money to keep my dog fed. My mental health was a real struggle too. I was always worried about my survival and I was nerve-wracked. Depression is a real thing when you are living like that.
What is most different about life since joining Safe Parking?
It’s been a dramatic change and a huge weight off my shoulders. I know where I can get a good shower. I know where I can find good food for myself and my dog. My stress level is way down because I have peers in the program and access to staff who are supportive, kind, and friendly. It’s makes a real difference when the people around you are warm and understand the reality of your circumstances and will support me in my attempts to find stability. The fact that I can actually get rest at night because I’m not worried about my safety means I can exist during the day and have energy to do what I need to do.
What are the physical items that have been most helpful to you to receive?
Socks! It is amazing how quickly I go through socks. Fresh clothes too. At times I’ve only had two sets of clothes - the ones on my body and the ones that still need to be washed. Anytime I have received additional clothing items has been a major help. Hygiene items help me feel clean and presentable to the world. Gas cards are so helpful for me so I can get to odd jobs. They really make the difference for me earning an income. And any sort of assistance keeping my vehicle in running condition. It all just helps me feel like I can do more than just survive in the world.
It is one thing to be given items. And any organization can give out free stuff. It’s another thing to feel like you still have your dignity intact when you receive those items. That’s the part that is different at Church@thePark. At the Day Center, y’all give us access to a refrigerator, a toaster, a microwave, and a pantry. We get to choose the food that looks good to us and prepare it for ourselves. We get to pick the clothes we receive off the rack ourselves. You don’t just offer transportation, but gas cards too. So we can transport ourselves to our appointments on our own schedules. Again, the tangible items are one thing, but the way you offer them is what makes the bigger difference. It breaks down the experience of helplessness and dependency, and we can feel like self-sufficient humans.
The relationships here are what sustain us all. But the physical items fill gaps that help us feel more human and allowed to be in the world exactly as we are.