Turkeys and More Urgently Needed for Holiday Feasts for the Homeless

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- Joy Junction Homeless Shelter is in urgent need of turkeys for its upcoming holiday feasts.

Currently the shelter has about 80 turkeys, but it still needs many more for its annual holiday dinners to successfully occur as planned.

Joy Junction Founder and CEO Dr. Jeremy Reynalds said, "Usually people bring turkeys in almost as a matter of course and we only have to ask for the trimmings. But I think that with the weak economy, people who have homes are very worried about whether they will end up having enough funds to have a Thanksgiving Dinner themselves. As a result, they're being a little cautions about giving."

Reynalds emphasized that the need at Joy Junction is greater than ever and that the quarter- century-old faith-based ministry needs more prayer and financial support than ever before.

Here's what Joy Junction has planned for Thanksgiving.

The shelter's 26th annual pre-Thanksgiving dinner will take place at Joy Junction's 4500 Second Street Southwest facility at 2.00 p.m. on Monday November 21st. In addition to a great meal, there will be musical entertainment.

The shelter's 26th annual traditional Thanksgiving dinner will take place at Joy Junction's 4500 Second Street Southwest facility at 2.00 p.m. on Thursday November 24th. In addition to a traditional Thanksgiving feast, there will be musical entertainment.

However, to ensure the total success of the dinner, the shelter kitchen needs turkeys, roasts, hams, stuffing, gravy mix, celery, potatoes, cakes, pies, coffee, kool-aid, styrofoam plates and plastic silverware.

On Wednesday Nov. 23rd, from 11 am through 2 pm, along with KNKT 107.1, SMG, the Albuquerque Convention Center and the City of Albuquerque, Joy Junction will treat about 1500 homeless guests to a delicious Holiday Feast at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Many more turkeys, as well as plastic silverware, napkins and plates are needed for this event.

Reynalds said, "We're hoping for a terrific time and a tremendous outpouring of support from the community, despite the difficult economy. We are believing that the need is going to be met, and with that in mind, we also invite anyone in need of a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner to eat at Joy Junction."

In addition, Reynalds added, the shelter receives many of the canned food supplies it needs for the coming months at this time of year.

He said that it would be wonderful if that "tradition" continues this year. "If we don't get them now," he said, "We don't get them. I am hoping that people will be as generous this year as they have been in the past."

Media Note: Media are welcome to film Thanksgiving Day dinner preparations at Joy Junction's South Valley facility from 5 a.m. onwards on Thanksgiving Day. Please call Jeremy Reynalds at 505 400 7145 for more information about this availability.

For more information go to www.joyjunction.org

The President of the Father’s House talks about the homeless in Ukraine

By Victoria Uzunova of the Christian Telegraph (www.christiantelegraph.com)
Special to ASSIST News Service


UKRAINE (ANS) -- Roman Korniyko, the founder and the President of the Father’s House International Charity Foundation, based in the Kiev region of Ukraine, spoke recently to the House of Bread Church press center (www.houseofbreadchurch.org) about his life and the fortunes of the homeless, whom he has served since 1996.

Roman Korniyko with his wife Natasja

Korniyko says that initially, he didn’t have a love for children. He was a very successful doctor, but had some problems in his family life.

“I was invited to church, where I accepted Jesus,” the President explained. “At first, God changed me and, one year later, He changed my wife and healed my oldest daughter. I became the happiest person on the earth.

“I asked God what I could do for Him to show my gratitude. God showed me two Bible verses: James 1:27 and Matthew 25:40. After that, homeless children began to appear before my eyes. I saw them everywhere – on my way home from work, or when I walked or went shopping.”

A 12-year-old Ukrainian boy injects a self-made drug based on ephedrine known as “baltushka” to his friend in Odessa, Ukraine

Roman Korniyko underlines that Father's House is the portion of his life that he has dedicated to God, however his first acquaintance with the homeless was not so pleasant.

“Once, I was invited to hold a teaching seminar about birth by one church near Kiev,” notes Korniyko. “After that I spent the whole night like a homeless person. It was a crucial night for me since God helped me to understand several things.”

He said they were:

1) It was very cold, though I was in warm clothes, whereas the homeless were ill-clad.
2) I was afraid, but I’m an adult who can defend myself or call the police, whereas the majority of homeless children are not even registered.
3) I was hungry, but I knew that my wife would feed me in the morning, whereas these children would search for opportunities to earn, steal or beg money for food.
4) I felt dirty, but I knew that I could shower in the morning, whereas they couldn’t wash for months.

5) I felt lonely, but knew that my wife was waiting and praying for me.

Roman went on to say, “These children were not prayed for; there were only curses in their lives. Then God spoke to me and said: ‘You’ve wanted to show your gratitude to me? I love these children and have a plan for them.’”

Homeless Ukrainian street kids living in appalling conditions

The founder of the Father's House added that the principal goal for the foundation is to “save children whom God sends to us in our lives, to prepare them for service to people and God, and to motivate others to do the same by our own example.”

Today, Father's House is recognized on all levels of government as the leading program of children's care and support in Ukraine. More than 12 departments aimed at supporting homeless children make up Father's House. In 2001, the Father's House Center for Social Care for Children was visited by representatives of the European Council and admitted as a the leading institution of its kind in East Europe. In 2005, an agreement of cooperation was signed between the Ukrainian Ministry for Children, Family and Youth (now: The Ministry in Youth and Sport Affairs) and Father's House.

---

Victoria Uzunova is a correspondent for the Christian Telegraph [www.christiantelegraph.com], a unique Christian news service partnering with the largest Christian News Agency in Russian language InVictory News [www.invictory.org/news/] which is one of few news gateways of what is happening in Christianity in such former USSR countries as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia and others.

Mini "Skid Row" in Downtown Albuquerque-15 Sleep on One Street

News Release from Jeremy Reynalds
at Joy Junction Tel: (505) 400-7145

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- There's a problem on one Downtown Albuquerque street.

Late Saturday night, about 15 people were either stretched out on the sidewalk or propped up uncomfortably against a building wall.

Joy Junction Founder and CEO Dr. Jeremy Reynalds said it reminded him of a mini version of Los Angeles' Skid Row, which he passed through briefly a few weeks ago.

Reynalds said, "It was heartrending-especially so, as I knew Joy Junction was full last night and we weren't in a position to help. It was poignant that every individual had his or her own carefully 'carved out area.' There were just a few feet between each person who was there."

It is still a few months before the city funded Westside Emergency Shelter will open for the season, and until then the situation doesn't show any signs of improving. Reynalds said the answer is not just to do a law enforcement "sweep" of the street.

"That just moves these folk to a different place and doesn't tackle the problem," he said.
Reynalds said this was the same street he had driven down a few hours before, where he had seen a homeless man relieving himself openly in broad daylight.

"While not negating personality responsibility, perhaps some bathrooms in downtown Albuquerque would help," Reynalds said.

He added, "I know there are problems with that. City officials have told me in the past that portable restrooms are hangouts for drug use and prostitution, but don't we need to do something? At the very least, maybe move it onto the discussion list for city government?"

Reynalds said he also hopes concerned members of the community will pray for a resolution to this issue, and contact their elected leaders to express their thoughts.

Local Business Takes Innovative Approach to Helping the Homeless

News release from
Jeremy Reynalds at Joy Junction. 
Tel: (505) 400-7145

ALBUQUERQUE, NM (ANS) -- Exhib-it!, a New Mexico owned and nationally recognized firm specializing in tradeshow displays and marketing, is taking an innovative approach to its products and community support.

Exhib-it! is donating a 10'x 10' custom display to Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency shelter, to be set up as an Internet research station.

This donated display will increase the ability of participants in Joy Junction's life recovery program to apply for benefits, apply for school, research and apply for jobs and provide a method for individuals to check email and keep in touch with family members.

"Joy Junction provides such a valuable service to the community; we have been successful in our endeavors and wanted to find a way to 'pay it forward' so we looked for a way to use our products to better help them. This was a great solution, and I would encourage all businesses to look for innovative ways to assist Joy Junction," said D.J. Heckes, founder and CEO of Exhib-it!

The display unit, retailing for $11,000.00, is customarily used by corporations to highlight and display their products and services at trade shows and industry events. Now, it will be used to help those less fortunate with access to information.

"God's blessing and community involvement is the reason Joy Junction has been around for 25 years. Exhib-it!'s donation is a wonderful blessing to the homeless community," said Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Joy Junction.

For further information about Joy Junction, go to www.joyjunction.org 

To learn more about Exhib-it!, go to www.exhib-it.com