Tyler wanted his old life back — but for the past few years, he’d felt trapped by mental illness. It all started shortly after he graduated from college back in 2002. He was coaching basketball and looking into a career in the mortgage industry. When he was invited to go on a mission trip to Haiti, he gladly volunteered, but sadly, that was the beginning of his journey with mental health issues.

“I had a bad reaction to a drug I received to prevent malaria,” he says. “After I got back from Haiti, I started experiencing some bipolar symptoms. It took nearly three years before I was able to return to work.” For a long time, he was able to manage these symptoms with medications, but then he started having severe side effects.

“My life was a rollercoaster. I was in and out of hospitals and struggling with which medications to take, and not even wanting to take them.” His family supported him as best they could; but thinking a more structured environment would help, they brought him to the CAC.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I got here. I had never been in a shelter before. At first, I felt like a fish out of water, but that feeling slowly faded as I met some of the people here.”

It wasn’t long before he decided to join our long-term recovery program. The routine of classes, counseling, work therapy, Bible studies and fellowship with staff and other guests in the program helped him develop new, healthy patterns of behavior. It also helped him become disciplined with taking his medications, which had been one of his biggest challenges.

Additionally, even though Tyler had always been a Christian, the program showed him how to go deeper in his faith and apply the Bible to his life.

Tyler’s life is now in a good place, and he has a clear path forward. He better understands his mental health challenges, and he knows how to manage them. But perhaps most significantly, thanks to the CAC, Tyler feels known, understood and supported by a larger community of believers. 

With Jesus’ love in his heart and hope for the future, Tyler is grateful for your support. “I’m thankful to the CAC for taking me in and making me one of their own. They gave me a community. I feel stable and settled."

Do you ever wonder what to say when a pandhandler asks you for money? Instead of giving your spare change, put them in touch with the CAC where they have a chance at experiencing real change. We have meal cards that you can hand out to pandhandlers--maybe along with a bottle of water or a granola bar. We're happy to send these cards to you; just This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your address and the number of cards you would like. 

When she was young, difficulties at home led Destiny to turn to food for comfort. Binge eating became an addiction that plagued her for years. 

As she entered adulthood, finding a job proved challenging, if not impossible. Employers tended to overlook Destiny due to her disabilities, which were yet undiagnosed and left her confined to a wheelchair. “I had no confidence, and just felt worthless,” she says.

She tried to stay afloat on her own but wound up evicted from her apartment. Just as she was trying to deal with the dire situation of homelessness, several family members and friends passed away. At that point, anxiety and depression from grief took over. “I remember the moment I realized I was broken and desperately needed help.”

The day she walked into the CAC, things began to change for Destiny.

“My first night here,” she shares, “I was so grateful to finally have a warm and safe place to lay my head.”

 Destiny was admitted into our Emergency Shelter, where her basic needs were assessed. She stayed there until she was truly ready to take the next step. 

 “At the Center, I’ve learned real coping skills – tools for dealing with life’s situations in a healthy manner. Nobody had ever taught me these things before.”

Destiny was raised in a different faith, so Christianity was a new concept when she first arrived. Through Bible study, Destiny has gained an understanding of God’s Word. “My faith has grown significantly since I got here.”

A few months after arriving at the CAC, Destiny was able to walk again, leaving her wheelchair behind. With new job skills under her belt through our work therapy program, Destiny is stronger and more confident. She plans to enroll in college and get back to her artwork. 

"Thanks to the teachers and staff here, I feel restored. This program really works!”

“When I got divorced a few years ago, I didn’t know what to do next. My friends were giving me bad advice and inviting me to go to bars with them. But I have two kids and wanted to make the best decisions for them.

At that time, I was “couch surfing.” Even though I had my own business as a barber, I didn’t have a place to call home. One day, while cutting the hair of a regular client, I shared a bit about the struggles I was going through. He happens to be a pastor and he invited me to come to his church--and I started going. One Sunday he announced there was a need for volunteers at the Christian Aid Center.

I had Mondays off, so I thought I could provide haircuts for the guests there. I contacted the volunteer coordinator and we set up a time to meet and take a tour. As we walked through the building where their little barbershop is, I suddenly realized that I had been here before. I think I had blocked that time out of my memory bank as a child.

When I was about eight years old, my mother made the desperate decision to leave my father. They had a toxic relationship and her doctor warned her that the stress was going to kill her. I don’t know how she found out about this place, but one night she brought me and my little sister here. We stayed for two days while she figured out what we would do next. She ended up going back to school and later owning her own barbershop.

Now, more than 30 years later, I look forward to volunteering in the very room where we had stayed. And I get to hang out with these guys who are so genuine and sincere when they thank me for cutting their hair. It’s so gratifying to see the transformation that takes place from when they first get here, to when they cross the finish line of completing the program and moving on to a better life. As a volunteer, I love that I get to be a part of helping to provide that change.”