Joey’s father died when he was very young, and his mother struggled with addiction. Much of his childhood was spent in foster care. At 17, he was sentenced to a stint in prison for a felony offense. And at 20, he was convicted again—this time for eight years. When Joey was freed from prison in 2019, a last-minute change in plans meant he’d be going to Healing House instead of moving in with his grandma. At the time, he figured he’d stay at Healing House long enough to make his parole officer happy then move in with his brother. “My plan was to get a job and stay under the radar as much as possible,” he says. But when his brother was ready for him to move in, Joey decided to stay at Healing House.
“I knew it was my best chance to succeed in life,” he recalls. Joey says there were “tons of challenges” to get through, but his faith and his Healing House family helped him succeed. “Everyone at Healing House wants you to win. They want you to be yourself, and they give you what you need to be a better person. There is freedom in that.” 
Today, Joey is Healing House’s donations manager, picking up donations and mentoring new recovery participants who volunteer to ride along. His faith in God and his belief that the Holy Spirit is guiding him in the right direction has helped him reach each goal. In mid-January, Joey moved into his own home and his final hope became a reality when his 15-year-old daughter moved in with him! It’s a dream come true. Your faithful generosity has made Joey’s story of redemption and reconciliation possible! Without Healing House, his life may have turned out very differently. “I can rely on my Healing House family, and they know they can rely on me,” he says today. Every day, Joey comes to work at Healing House to make a difference in people’s lives just as others once did for him. “I’m just happy to come to work each day.”
