Meet Jay
Jay had been on the streets of Nashville on and off for many years. His struggle with addiction to alcohol made it hard for him to be able to function in daily life.
I met Jay when I began outreach in college, and he quickly became one of my closet friends. I spent many nights downtown calling the ambulance because he was so intoxicated, and people were stepping on and over him…completely ignoring a fellow human needing assistance.
I kept praying and praying and believing one day breakthrough would come for him.
And though it took several years, after I had joined the LIFNAV team at The Salvation Army Nashville, my prayers were finally answered. We were able to enroll Jay in our gap housing program and began his journey to an increased quality of life.
Jay let up on the drugs, and the intense drinking. We were able to reconnect Jay with his daughter and begin to rebuild the relationship that had been damaged and lost.
Sometimes, we move our residents into permanent homes. Sometimes we reconnect them with the home and family they had lost. For Jay, his new home would be with his daughter and her family. Not only providing a structural home, but a home of love and family.
With Jay and his daughter, I saw the true meaning of Gods redemption and Love as I watched a daughter and father hug for the first time in close to four years. Jay hugged me and said “thank you for every time you showed up and loved me. Thank you for the grace you gave me every time I was high. His words were “The Salvation Army saved my life and gave me hope in more ways than I can say.”
Learn more about the programs and services of The Salvation Army at SalvationArmyNashville.org
Tiffany Ladd – LIFNAV Outreach Coach, The Salvation Army – www.salvationarmynashville.org
