You may not know it, but people living in poverty face many challenges to accessing healthcare services. And many times, the healthcare industry doesn’t understand those challenges, either. Many of the people we serve don’t trust someone with whom they don’t have a relationship with. They especially distrust an institution or anything that appears to […]
Helping Folks Access Healthcare Read More »
I’m often asked, “Is there a substance abuse problem here in Branson?” Sadly, the answer is yes. When Jesus Was Homeless started nine years ago, about one third of the people we met in extended stay motels had some sort of addiction. Today it’s much greater than that. The huge increase is chiefly due to
Getting to the Root Cause of Substance Abuse Read More »
I’m going to tell you a secret: homelessness isn’t about not having a permanent place to live. It’s often about dealing with poverty. I am convinced that the only way out of poverty is through work. You want to truly address the problem of homelessness? Address the problem with jobs first. It’s trickier than you
It All Comes Down to A Job Read More »
Have you heard about Branson’s hottest new place to find bargains? Lots of people are getting a good buy and helping a good cause – at the same time. The Jesus Was Homeless Thrift Store opened for business on August 1, and people have been flooding in ever since. From the very start, we wanted
The Story Behind Our New Thrift Store Read More »
Something about a new beginning really appeals to us. A clean slate, a do over, starting fresh from scratch. That’s why we stay up till midnight every December 31 to ring in the New Year. It’s why we’re excited when a baby arrives and we celebrate life’s renewal. God designed us to look ahead, not
A New Building, A New Beginning Read More »
For those of us living in the Ozarks, we probably consider ourselves a neighborly people. Our communities are built around neighborhoods. And yet, there’s a skill set necessary for being a good neighbor. And unfortunately, too many people today have lost it. True, we do care about those who live near us. For instance, we’re
As featured on NPR Caught In The Extended Stay Motel Trap This summer, millions of vacationers are expected to visit Branson, Mo., to see acts like singer Tony Orlando or the Oak Ridge Boys. It’s boom time for the tourist destination, but for many of the workers who keep the good times rolling, a severe
Think you know what it’s like to serve as a volunteer? Think again! Volunteering with Jesus Was Homeless may look different than it does with other organizations. That’s because in most cases, our volunteers create a culture of family and relationships. Working together on a shared project fulfills the spirit of community we’re all looking
As featured on CNN Why does America have so many hungry kids? (CNN) — It was a tender moment Elle Dingman will remember for a long time. Outside a small hotel in Branson, Missouri, in April, Dingman was volunteering with a local group that distributes free meals when a barefoot, barely dressed, 2-year-old boy walked up to
Welcome to Bryan’s Blog! I hope you’ll join me here as I update you on what Jesus Was Homeless, Jobs for Life and our many outreach efforts are doing to bring jobs, meals and hope to people in Branson. Let’s start with some plain talk about something we all dislike (and secretly dread): poverty. When
Plain Talk About Poverty Read More »
