For those experiencing homelessness, relationships are often few and far between. Most don’t have anyone in their life they can trust, and they likely don’t even have anyone encouraging them on a daily basis. But we have seen the power an intentional relationship can bring someone experiencing homelessness. 

When a client first arrives at one of our locations, they are greeted by a person – someone that looks them in the eyes and asks their name. When they are ready, they then have the opportunity to meet with an ambassador, and an important relationship is formed. The ambassador’s role is to build friendships that turn into long-term relationships. This relationship is powerful. 

Many of our stories of transformation show the power of an ambassador and the relationships they form. People like Reco understand that power. With the relationship he built with Thomas, his ambassador, Reco was able to work on himself and stay in the program. It’s the relationships Reco built that lead to life transformation.

“I was so happy when I returned that I had him as an advocate. Have we gotten along all the way? No. Have we butted heads? Yes. But at the end of the day, if you give me some advice and I may not have wanted to hear it nor receive it at the time, I knew that it was coming from a place of love and I needed to take that into consideration and to really adhere to what he was telling me.” – Reco

Even someone just joining us for a meal needs a relationship. This might be the first time someone is sitting down next to them, asking their name, holding a conversation with them, and listening to their story. There’s a lot of power in that. That meal is the first step in trusting someone. It’s the first step in growing and working on themselves. And it’s the first step of life transformation.

Our entire model focuses on relationships because we have seen the power in developing these intentionally. That’s where life change happens. When you have a community and people cheering you on along the way, you’re able to grow and change. You have the encouragement that we all need. 

Everyone – from volunteers to donors to the staff at Atlanta Mission – plays a part in creating intentional relationships with those experiencing homelessness. We could not do it without you. If you’d like to learn more about ways to help and get involved, click here.