Atlanta’s First Mobile Shelter – Mobile Stay

Earlier this year, we started using creative housing to get people experiencing homelessness off the streets.

We’ve learned a lot about how hard it is to find a place to stay if you miss the cut-off time for a shelter. Therefore, we started telling this story about excess. In this country, we have so much excess, but we have yet to tap into this excess to solve “real time” problems.

A few months back, a generous family reached out to us and donated this brand new RV (equipped with a shower, a restroom, and living space).

They took their excess and said, “We want to see it help people…”

Therefore, we’ve decided to launch Atlanta’s first Mobile Shelter. It’s called Mobile Stay, and we are less than a month away from giving stays to those who have no safety net.

To give to our mission, visit lovebeyondwalls.org/give

You will not believe this!

Over the last couple of months, our organization has been intentional about giving people experiencing homelessness untraditional housing to get them off of the streets, and provide a place to stay that’s safe.

If we can be honest, it’s been messy, hard, confusing, and fun all at the same time. We’ve laughed with them, have had the privilege of celebrating successes, and have talked through struggles.

Long story short, we’ve just taken what’s in front of us and have used it to serve those who are forgotten.

Little did we know that a family was watching our work with using trailers to provide housing.  Well, this same family reached out and donated our organization this RV trailer! Wow is all we can say!

We can’t wait to reveal what this will become for our next campaign. 

LBW Team

Degree & Homeless

DEGREE & HOMELESS: Last week, we met a gentleman named Mark. We were introduced to him by Ronald. “Tell him your story…” Ronald said to Mark. “Well, I’m not a beggar. I’ve been living homeless in College Park for three years, and I experienced tons of loss. First, my wife and I lost our son, then I lost my wife, then I lost my job…” Mark said.

As he shared his story, he talked about his degree in economics and how he never thought he’d be this low in life. “Depression set in and I lost all hope. I even tried to take my own life because I felt like there was no reason to live.” He said.

We asked him where he stayed at night, and he shared how he stays in abandoned buildings and uses empty bottles to keep clean by collecting water from place to place. To make it worse, he shared how eats every from trash cans every single day to live.

After hearing his story, we offered him the extra small house and he accepted.

Last week, we learned from Mark that it doesn’t matter how much education you have or how well put together you are, life can happen to us all. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers as we provide temporary housing for two men trying to climb out of homelessness.

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LBW Team

HE HAS SHELTER

HE HAS SHELTER: Today, Johnny and I made our way downtown to engage people experiencing homelessness and to see how we could serve them in this cold weather.

Little did we know we’d meet Ronald and spend hours with him. Ronald has only been homeless for a month after serving 31 years in prison.

We sat and talked as Ronald poured out his heart about how much he missed his family and how he’d have to find somewhere to sleep tonight (maybe behind buildings).

He shivered as he told us more of his life’s story. He shared how he had no friends or family left because they all passed away while he was in prison. He even shed tears about making wrong choices as a twenty year old, and confessed his heart to get it right like “mamma said…”

After talking, we took him to @lovebeyondwalls and surprised him with this mini shelter. His eyes watered up as he kept saying over and over, “tonight I can finally rest without having to wake up and watch my surroundings.” Did we end his homelessness? No.

Did we become his friend? Yes. We ensured he had place to stay that’s warm until our organization can develop next steps for him. He kept saying, “I have a house now…”

With all that’s going on in the world, I thank God for allowing us to meet another friend who needed a friend. Tonight we provided shelter for one. Who knows in the future it may be many!
Terence