New Mexico’s Largest Homeless Shelter Avoids Typical Barriers to Access

New Mexico’s Largest Homeless Shelter Avoids Typical Barriers to Access

News Release from Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D.

Founder and CEO
Joy Junction Inc.
Tel: (505) 400-7145

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS -- October 1, 2016) -- Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, is celebrating 30 years of implementing accessible methods of support for local homeless individuals and families by providing food, shelter, pastoral counseling and even long-term transitional housing.

In 1986, Dr. Jeremy Reynalds, founder of Joy Junction, set out to open a unique emergency homeless shelter that would provide creative solutions for short and long-term homelessness without the added hurdle of presenting excessively burdensome documentation. Joy Junction's uniquely accessible process provides homeless individuals with immediate access to support and resources, even at times of the night when no other facility is open.

"Having been in their position at one point in my life, I founded Joy Junction to be able to serve the homeless in ways that I had a hard time finding when I was homeless," said Reynalds. "For us to be able to continue to serve as many as 300 individuals a night, including many children on a daily basis, means that we're doing something no one else is able to provide."

In addition to Joy Junction's unique accessibility approach, the shelter aims to help homeless individuals and entire families get back on the road to being "whole" again.

For families with small children, Joy Junction strives to help create as normal of a life as possible for children in the shelter; this means providing the necessities for school including clothes, shoes, lunch, and other essential accessories for learning.

In the case that support is needed for longer periods of time, Joy Junction never denies shelter, food, or other resources to individuals or families. In fact, Joy Junction's long-term transitional housing facilities provide individuals and families a resource that allows them the additional time needed to get back on their feet.

In partnership with local outreach programs, Joy Junction offers individuals and families resources for job opportunities, counseling, healthcare services, including addiction therapy, and other services based on their need.

Joy Junction operates as a donations-only charitable organization, with no federal, state or local funding, which allows it to be run as a Christian ministry.

About Joy Junction

Joy Junction has been helping the homeless of Albuquerque for 30 years. In 1986, Reynalds founded Joy Junction, now New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, in Albuquerque's South Valley.

Joy Junction currently serves as many as 300 people every night at its South Valley based homeless shelter - and hundreds more through its mobile food outreach. Monthly, Joy Junction serves more than 16,000 meals to those in need.

For more information, visit www.joyjunction.org

Photo caption: 1) Jeremy Reynalds and his wife, Elma. of Joy Junction

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