Latest / Hart & Hustle Podcast / From Trauma to Transformation: How Hope Ministries Serves 400+ People Every Night | Jenn Hutchinson
Transcript
- Efrain: We're back here on the Heart and Hospital Podcast. We have Ms. Jen in the building. What up, Ms. Jen? How doing? Jenn Hutchinson: Good. How you doing today? Efrain: I'm doing good. It is Wednesday, as we talked about, and you said the only thing better than Wednesday, it's a happy Friday. You're right. Jen, if you could tell us the organization that you're representing today in your your title with Jenn Hutchinson: So I currently am with Hope Ministries out in Des Moines, Iowa, and I am our Chief Program Officer. Efrain: Love it. And tell us a little bit about Hope Ministries. What is it that you guys do? How do you guys serve your communities? Jenn Hutchinson: So here at Hope Ministries, we are all about transforming lives through Christ and providing opportunities for those that are addicted, experiencing homelessness and abuse. And so we are the largest homeless service provider here in Des Moines. We do a lot of amazing different things within the community. We provide a drop in center for people off the street who may not be ready quite for a change or to commit to coming into shelter because sometimes it can be a scary thing. So they can kind of come in, get some basic needs met, get some case management, get showers, get clothing, and just start to build a relationship with our team. the next kind of level of that is that we have a community cafe called Hope Cafe. And so we serve meals to the public three hundred and sixty-five days a year, three meals a day. and for us, it's a great opportunity to both build community. So one of my favorite things about that has been seeing people help each other in those moments. And so sitting with someone who's been like, hey, can you watch my kid? Because I want to go encourage that person over there because I understand what that's like. So getting to see those connections and a lot of times that cafe is serving some of the working poor. And so it's not necessarily people are on the street experiencing homelessness, but they're trying to decide between do I feed my family or do I pay my light bill? And so this way they don't have to choose between those two. And so those Efrain: Yeah. Jenn Hutchinson: are kind of our basic most entry-level services without commitment. Our next thing that we offer is shelter for both men and women. And so that is our next, hey, you want to come off for the street for the night? Hopefully longer than that. we hope at that point that they commit to life change, but even not, that's okay. We're gonna make sure that you have somewhere safe to stay, that you feel loved, that you feel cared for, that you hear about God and his love for you and provide for their basic needs. The next level that we offer is our life recovery program, both for men and women, as well as children. And the idea with that is they are making a long-term commitment to life change, saying, Hey, you know what? I want something different. And so we have amazing donors who are people who have never met these men, women, and children before, but so believe in them and want to give them an opportunity that we're able to offer the program to them free of cost for an entire year. And during that year, they're able to get counseling, they're getting case management, they're learning a lot of life skills, doing a lot of healing from the things that they've been through in the past, learning how to build healthy relationships. And then after all that, we're assisting them with vocational development. Obtaining employment and housing. And then last but not least, our last step we currently offer for men and are hoping to offer it for women soon is men's supportive housing. And so that is for men who have been through our program, who have experienced that life change, but continue just to need that community and that support, which we have learned is probably one of the biggest factors in long-term success is just having those people around you that can support you and walk through life with you. So those are just some of the things we currently do and are looking to do Efrain: Love that. Yeah. Jenn Hutchinson: more. Efrain: I love that. Jen, and I feel like people that are serving in the way that you're serving usually tend to have their own experiences. Did you get here because of your own experiences that allowed you to be like, hey, I want to now be on the giving side? Cause a lot of times we are on the receiving side and we realize how how purposeful it really has been for us. And we just want to make sure that we could kind of pour into somebody else's cup. Is that or is that your experience as well? Jenn Hutchinson: So originally I came out of obedience. when I was about 12 years old, I heard someone speaking that worked with juvenile offenders in the inner city, and I was like, Mom, that's what I want to do when I grow up. She was like, Okay, little girl from the suburbs, that's great. Efrain: Ha ha ha. Jenn Hutchinson: and so over time I actually had an opportunity to do that. And so I went to Atlanta and participated in a program for the year where you volunteered in the inner city for the year. And during that time I actually ended up being raped multiple times by somebody and became pregnant. And so became pregnant, was like, Okay, I need a job. Let me go back to what I do best, which is teaching. And so went back to teach preschool and as queer as day I felt like God was like, Are you gonna do what comes easy to you or what I've called you to do? And so that is actually how I ended up at Atlanta Mission, which is the first mission that I worked at, and that's been about twenty three years ago now, so quite a while ago. I know I look like I'm 12, I'm a little bit older than that. Efrain: Ha ha ha. Jenn Hutchinson: and so started there, and I was young. Yeah, yeah, Efrain: Gijinhos, good jeans, Jen, good jeans. Jenn Hutchinson: yeah, yeah. I got a 23-year-old son. Efrain: No, Jenn Hutchinson: started off there just with the idea of, you know, I'm gonna do this job for about a year, year and a half. I'm gonna go do the next thing, because that's what I did when I was younger. it was interesting because while I was there, I was working with the youth. And ended up having to teach a class on domestic violence. And as I'm teaching the ladies about domestic violence, and I'm looking at some posters that they had made outside of our staff bathrooms, I'm realizing, wait a minute, that's that's me. Like that's the cycle I'm in. So after getting raped multiple times, the same person tried to kill me. And it still didn't clue in until I was there teaching about it that, my goodness, that that's me. And so it was interesting because it was, I didn't go for a program myself, but God used that same program to help heal me while I was teaching others. And so being able to have that story is huge. And then I had also struggled a lot with depression as well as suicidal ideation and several suicide attempts. And so I would say I didn't realize that God was going to use that while I was there. And so I think what became one of my most favorite things is sitting there with people who had no hope, who would see the smile on my face, the joy that I had, which was real and genuine, and then be like, Well, I'm never gonna be like you, you know, because your life is perfect. You're, you know, you got it all together. And me sharing just a few things about my life and be like, You like, and you still have joy, you still have peace. And then in that moment, them realizing like, wait a minute, it's possible for me too. And so honestly, Efrain: Yeah. Jenn Hutchinson: if I could go back and change things, I wouldn't because it is the things that occurred in my life that actually give me the ability to connect with people in a way that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. And so a lot of times it helps me gain trust in talking to people when they realize, wait, you've been through some things too. So maybe you do get it. And maybe your life isn't perfect. And maybe you've really learned how to have joy, how to have peace in the middle of it. Efrain: Wow, Jen, I really appreciate you sharing that. And one of the biggest things that someone told me that kind of just happened to you is we teach best what we need the most. In a moment, we're always teaching, not realizing that it's actually for us. And you know, someone's it was for me, it was like the whole know your worth. I always tell people to know their worth. And I had a mentor says, Efraine, you always help people know their worth. I've seen you rebuild yourself and others, but when do you start to know your worth? And that was that moment where it just kind of stuck in my head like, it is so true. We're so good at giving advice, but when do we take it? And Jen, at that moment where you're sitting in that room and you're looking at these young girls, you realize like, wow, this is for me. Like I need to practice what I preach per se. and I just love that you are able to share that story. I always say representation doesn't come in just the color of our skins, but the stories that we tell. And it just shows that we are we're not perfect. No one's perfect. What does perfect actually look like? You know, so that we can take those times of our lives and really learn from them is so cool. You know, someone asked me kind of similar to what you just kinda mentioned a little earlier is Ephraim, out of everything that's happened in your life, the sexual abuse, the adoption, the all these different things, like if you could put that in one word, what is it? I say grateful, Jen, because as you mentioned, without that version of me, I'm not who I am today. You know, so kudos for you to sit here and and wear your heart in your sleeve and tell the story. Because that's what moves mountains. That's what gives people hope and allow them to know that, hey, look at me. I did it. You too can do it. So man, that what a story. I didn't expect you to share that story, but I really appreciate it. And I know a lot of people that are watching, whether we're planting seeds or watering their seeds, really appreciate you being that vulnerable. does it become easier, you'd say? Like I remember the first time I started to share my story. I couldn't share the story without getting emotional. and and like now I think. Now I become more emotional. It's it's weird. Like now I just start crying for like various things. The other day I was I was on TikTok and scrolling early in the morning and I'm in tears. I'm like, my God, what what is Jenn Hutchinson: Yeah. Efrain: going on here? But do you find it easier that you've really kind of opened up? Jenn Hutchinson: So I would say it was easier initially. I think I had put up as a protective mechanism this wall where I didn't feel the emotion behind it. And so I could tell it as if it was a story that I was reading out of a book that happened to somebody else. Efrain: Wow. Jenn Hutchinson: And so now as I've allowed God to come into those areas and heal them and heal together with community, when I'm sharing it, I'm actually feeling. And so it's emotionally probably harder to share it now. However, I truly believe the word says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. And so every time I share it, I feel more healing, I feel more freedom. And also for me, just knowing that it could help somebody else, I'll share it all day long because I want people to be able to experience that same hope, that same freedom, that same joy and peace that God has given me. Efrain: No, for sure. I always say tell that story, tell the testimony. Because one, like you mentioned, it makes us feel good, but we don't know who's receiving it and whose lives are really changing. And that's that's the important part, right? Is that we go through these testimonies. God has used us to really be there for someone else in a time of we don't of the unknown sometimes. so we gotta get uncomfortable sometimes. Seems like you got hella uncomfortable, Jen. But Jenn Hutchinson: I'm good I'm good at that now. I'm I'm approach getting uncomfortable. Efrain: Some at le usually when we go through trauma I would say we get hella uncomfortable because we were in an uncomfortable situation and we had to fight to get to where we at today. So I think it becomes a little easier. Not that it's a good thing because sometimes we it becomes even harder at times I would say. But did you already know God or did you find him in the journey? Jenn Hutchinson: Did so I think one of my favorite things to be able to share with people about my story is my story tells a story of what it looks like to continue to follow God in the middle of things. So not when everything's perfect, not when you know how everything's turned out, not when it's fixed, but in the middle of it. And so I'll never forget I was working at our men's campus back in Atlanta and we had gotten to a point where we realized that relational poverty is actually one of the biggest contributors to homelessness. Because you think about it, if you or I were to lose our job today, we probably wouldn't end up in a shelter tomorrow. Why? Because we have people in our lives who would help us out. And so people usually end up there because they don't have anybody else. And so as part of that, we decided as a team, it was important for us to start to share some of our stories with the residents so that they understood. that we weren't the people with all the answers, but we'd been through some stuff too and had experienced some of the same healing that they were hoping for and weren't sure it was possible. And so it was my turn to share the story. and I'll never forget I was real excited to share what God had already done and what he'd set me free from. And he was like, No, I need you to share what's going on right now. I was like, Right now? Like I don't want people to know that. he was like, No, like right now. And so I'll never forget standing up in a group full of men who were the same group of people who had done the most harm in my life and sharing what was going on then. And so the night before my child's father had called and said, Hey, I know where you work. I'm coming to get you. And the worst part while I was telling them the story was I wasn't afraid to die. I was afraid of being embarrassed. I was afraid of everybody at work that I was trying to help knowing I had some of the same issues too. And so I was obedient and I shared it. And this little guy named Pepe ain't no more than 90 pounds, soaking wet, put his hand up. He's like, Miss Efrain: Mm-hmm. Jenn Hutchinson: J, I was like, what? He's like, You ain't gotta worry about nothing. You got a whole room of brothers here that got your back. Efrain: Yes. Jenn Hutchinson: and then it was like, hey, the same group that had done the most hurt and harm to me ended up being the group that God used to heal that. And what was so amazing in that was clients that would not listen to a darn thing that I said before because I had it all together were like, Wait, what did you say? Like, I wanna talk to you now. Forget my case manager. Like I'm talking to you because you know what it's like you've been through some stuff. and so even having God use some of the people that I was serving to help me heal and help be part of that community was really neat to see that as well. Efrain: I love it. And another word that's been sh kind of shared today is community. Like the importance of community. because when it it gets harder when you feel alone and you don't have to. As you mentioned, there's a whole organization that is really there for you. and sometimes we don't even know what's in our own backyard. And that's why we love to have these conversations is because you don't know what you don't know. And so many people are experiencing and experiencing things and they think that they're alone and they're not. Like there's organizations like this that Truly open door. Show up as you are. We s we f we meet you at where you're at today and understand that, hey, this is just temporary. I'll you know how many times I've had to tell myself this is just temporary. This is just temporary. Understanding that maybe I'm in this dark tunnel, but there's light at the end of it. You got to keep going. and and realizing that sometimes it it is just you have to go also find it. You have to go want it. And that's that's the hard part at times is that helping someone I think I told you that my mom is today homeless and a drug addict. And it it it bothers me. I never had a relationship with her, but I want her to know that she too can see the light at the end if she wants it. But they gotta want it. Right, Jen? I'm I love stories, so I can imagine that you doing what you've done. We've shared our stories. Sometimes we may forget the why. And our story may not be good enough because we've told it time and time again. Is there a story that continues to drive you that you've heard recently that says this is why I do it. Jenn Hutchinson: So in doing it for twenty-three years, I have countless stories and countless memories. And I think for me, the moment that I forget that and I forget the why, that's the moment I need to stop doing this. because every day there's a million reasons why not to. And so you see people that like you're mentioning your mom that you love and you care about and you want it so badly for them. And they're just not ready. And so it's hard seeing that same person walk back out the door when you realize I want it more for you than you want it for yourself. And I can't make you take it. And so when you see those people, especially over the years, I've seen a lot of people that I've grown close to pass away from addiction, from homelessness, from suicide. It's real easy to get jaded and kind of put your guard up of like, okay, I'm not going to get close to people, like there's no point in it. But at the same time, there are people every single day that I get to see their lives change. And so one thing I always have to remember is you never know if this is the last time that you're gonna see this person. And so when I encounter somebody every day, I am giving them my all that I have that day because I might not have another chance tomorrow. And so Efrain: Mm-hmm. Jenn Hutchinson: probably one of my favorite things, I had a Teenage boy in my class back in Atlanta when he was 13. kind of walked with him through some stuff. His mom was actually in our program, had five other kids. She is still in her dextrin to this day. But I continue to pour into the 13-year-old, reconnected with him actually when he was 18, at a time when his mom was telling him he needed to drop out of school so that he could take care of his siblings. I was like, You have made it this far, like by the grace of God. You're not about to drop off out now. And so was able to help convince his mom and figure out a way to keep him in school. And so what is really neat is he is now 26 years old. And so the same kid who didn't think he was going to graduate from high school, who was scared to drive, he was 20 something and still wouldn't drive, couldn't hold down a job, didn't want a job, has now moved to Detroit. He drives the city bus. He got married, he has a child, Efrain: Wow. Jenn Hutchinson: and hearing him call me to invite me to the wedding to invite me to see his newborn daughter. seeing his newborn daughter and saying, Hey, you've been more of a bomb even than my mom has. And so getting to see just the fruit of pouring into somebody when they were thirteen, and getting to see the impact of that at twenty six has been absolutely incredible. Efrain: I love it. And that's what I'm saying, man. We don't know what seeds we water, what seeds we plant. Like that's put that that fills your cup. A lot of times, I I when I tell you know the the youth, it's like you don't have to go and always chase what everyone says chase, right? That that doctor, that bow that ball player, the whatever that may look like. Like find places where you could really pour into others. And there's so many nonprofits, and I tell people all the time, what do you love? Find you a nonprofit, I can get I mean, I can guarantee you something that you love, there's a nonprofit attached to that. And the the ability to pour into others, it's bigger than a paycheck. Because Jenn Hutchinson: Absolutely. Efrain: wow, that drives us every single day that you get to hear those stories, like, damn, I love this. You know, and and maybe it took years, but when it happens, you're like, This, this is what I do it for. What what and shout out to him. You know, from not wanting to drive to driving a s a a big bus. I'm scared to drive that big bus. Well, I'll drive a car all day. my my mother in law has a RV and she'd be like, Hey, can you back it up? No, ma'am, I cannot. Okay. No, Jenn Hutchinson: For real. Efrain: this this is this is cool. I I really love it. I also want to talk about everything that you guys do. Doesn't happen, I can imagine, without volunteers. And those people deserve a spotlight as well. What does it look like from the volunteer perspective? How many of you guys how many volunteers you said you guys have? And let's talk about what it looks like for them on a day to day basis. Jenn Hutchinson: So we have this amazing group of volunteers called M25s, which stands for Matthew twenty-five. And so we ask for pretty big commitments from our volunteers because we really believe in them being behind the mission. As well as them building relationships. And so as they're fully behind the mission in relationships, most of our volunteers are actually recurring volunteers. And so we have an amazing one out on her desk right now. Her name is Molly, and she is here twice a week. You would think Molly was a paid employee. She does everything that she does with excellence. She's greeting everybody. She's helping return calls as far as people that are seeking shelter. She has some just great. gifts and how she communicates. So I was like, hey, would would you mind helping train staff? She was like, sure. And so just seeing how invested they are. We have another one named Mary Lee. She volunteers about four days a week. And so you sometimes would think she's staffed. She used to be staffed. She's retired. and we literally can't do it without them. We have volunteers who teach our classes. We have volunteers who lead Bible study small groups. We have volunteers who come help serve our meals. And we literally cannot do this without them. And our our biggest thing for them is also helping build relationships. And so the thing is, is we want our residents to be able to build relationships out in the community so that when they leave here and life happens, because it's not a if it happens, it will, it happens to all of us, they have other people that they can go to. And this isn't the only place that they have to come back to. And so we have a lot of volunteers and partners out in our community, whether that be churches, whether that be twelve step programs and other organizations that we connect our residents with while they're here so they can start to build relationships and then they continue those while they are. Efrain: How do we get the word out? Like you guys got so many programs, so many things, so many stories. when it comes to communication, you kinda mentioned it. How do we spread that word? How what are you guys doing to to be able to serve all these people from all the different programs that you guys mentioned today? Jenn Hutchinson: So you can visit our website at www.hopeioa.org. We have our volunteer opportunities on there. What's interesting is our services are mostly spread by word of mouth. So we're well known in the community. Most of the times, when you're asking somebody, hey, how'd you hear about us? It's, hey, my friend here or I was in jail and my cellmate told me is a huge thing that we've heard, which is a pretty neat story to be able to tell. Efrain: Wow. That is. Jenn Hutchinson: and people be thanking their jail cellmates for saving their lives. And so Efrain: Wow. Just word of mouth. Doing the right thing. Jenn Hutchinson: Yeah. Efrain: Yeah. That's what it happens, man. When you give someone that experience, they're more likely to share it. If you you change someone's life, they're more likely to share it. and continue to pour into somebody else and says, Hey, I did it. So can you. so I love that. And you said you're three hundred and sixty five days a year serving families and those in need. what does operating hours look like? I can imagine that you guys are open twenty four seven. Jenn Hutchinson: Twenty-four seven. We're we're always here. We're always open. We never shut down. There's always staff here. and so yeah, Efrain: Wow. Jenn Hutchinson: because homelessness doesn't stop on a holiday. sometimes you have to remind staff of that. just because it's a holiday doesn't mean everybody all of a sudden has a home now and doesn't need to be served. And so we need people on holidays. some of our biggest meals of the year actually occur on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. We actually deliver about twenty three hundred meals. Anyone can sign up for one that needs one and we will deliver it to your house on those holidays. Efrain: You guys just have the one location or is it spread out through multiple? Jenn Hutchinson: We are spread out, so we have our drop-in center, Hope Cafe, and our men's shelter are located downtown Des Moines. In South Des Moines, beside right beside the zoo is our men's life recovery program. Then we have men's supportive housing out by the fair, and then our women's shelter and life recovery program is in on the east side. Efrain: When you started, did you guys already have this, or were you able to also just kind of see it grow as you were growing with the organization? Jenn Hutchinson: So what was really neat is when I came, we were currently in men's supportive housing, which serves 30 men. We had our women's life recovery program there. And so we didn't have women's shelter. And so at the time that I came, they were completing a building project. And so while I was here, I was able to help open up our brand new women and children shelter and life recovery program. And so we went from serving 30 women and children a night to a hundred women and children a night, which was huge growth. That also then gave us the opportunity to start men's supportive housing as we use the old women's facility for that. So that's the first time that we've started that up in quite a few years as well. So been two huge new projects since I've started in the past two years and lots more to come. Efrain: So how people are you sir you guys you say you serve now? I mean through I couldn't imagine it's a lot 'cause of the food and all that, but Jenn Hutchinson: Hello. Efrain: if roughly yeah, yeah. Wha what do you guys think you guys serve on a yearly? Or what would you guys end twenty twenty five? I can imagine you have maybe those numbers, maybe. Jenn Hutchinson: do but not off the top of my head. And so I think right. Yeah. Efrain: Wait a minute, I g there's a lot going on here. I gotta go to the files. Jenn Hutchinson: I think for me what it becomes is, and I always tell the team, they're like, you're worried about numbers. No, it's not I'm worried about numbers, but each number is tied to a person. It's tied to their story. And so my Efrain: Mm-hmm. Jenn Hutchinson: thing is if we believe that we have the best thing out there that can help with your life transformation and introduce you to Jesus, like, don't we want everybody that needs that? to be able to be a part of that. And so our thing for us is one by one by one. Now over time it turns into thousands. Efrain: Yeah. Jenn Hutchinson: every night in general we probably serve about three to four hundred people. On a nightly Efrain: That's a lot. Jenn Hutchinson: basis. Efrain: Wow. what where do you like to see the organization? I mean, you talked about the growth, and I can imagine the answer may be to end homelessness and to end that. But thinking even further of of how we can continue to empower and inspire a community. You talked about finding Jesus. What does that look like for you? At some point you're gonna hang up the boots and says, you know what? I've I've done what I had to do. What do you want to end with? Jenn Hutchinson: I think for me, it's knowing that at the end of the day, I've done everything God has called me to do. And so when it's time for me to leave here, I want to know that I'm fully poured out. And so I never want to look at this as just another job and another paycheck. One, it don't pay that much to actually look at it that way. but two, Efrain: Ha ha ha. Jenn Hutchinson: you can get caught up in tasks and forget the why you're here and the people. And so I think one of the greatest reminders. For me, is as you see people's lives change and that transformation, realizing it's not just that person's life who's changed, but it's generations to come. Because then they're changing how they parent their kids. When they're living out their life purpose in their neighborhood at their workplace, they're then impacting their coworkers, their neighbors. And so just realizing the far-reaching impact of what we do here every day. Brings back the importance of why we're here, what we're doing, and keeps the focus on the right things. And so my hope is that we continue to impact thousands of people and not just for a night, but for eternity. And so Efrain: On the bad. Jenn Hutchinson: our desire would be that hey, yes, we have helped you be self sustainable and get a home here on earth, but you also have that home for eternity. And that for us is our biggest desire and hope for everybody that we serve. Efrain: Help people break that cycle. Cause sometimes life could be a cycle. when it comes to just funding, is it something that is government funded? is it philanthropic work? Because it seems like you mentioned l as well, like we have some really good donors that that care. or maybe a mix of both. Jenn Hutchinson: Yes, so we receive absolutely no government funding. Efrain: Wow. Jenn Hutchinson: and a lot of that has been based upon our faith and who we are. And so there happen to be quite a few government grants and funds that kind of restrict the things that you can say and that you can participate in. And for us, that's so important. We don't want to compromise who we are just to have the money. and so we've had this, okay, we trust and believe that God will provide for us outside of that. Now, when there's times where we'd be able to find a grant or something like that that doesn't require us to change who we are, we're absolutely open to that. Efrain: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jenn Hutchinson: and so our biggest donors are actually individual contributors. And so we've got that. We have different partners, different churches, different organizations, different companies throughout the area that help support what we do because we we can't do it without them. We offer all of our services. free of charge. The only charge there is is a program fee for our supportive housing. Other than that, everything is free. Efrain: So faith starts at the top and comes all the way down at the bottom. Like when you guys are talking about it, you guys are really living it. You gotta have faith, right? That every single day you're gonna have that donor that they can see that their impact. And that's also just kudos to you guys being able to spread the message even to the donors, because a lot of times donors wanna see the impact. So that means you guys have that good communication you know, skill to be able to say, Hey, this is what we've done, this is how we serve, this is where your money's going, X, Y, Z. That that is so cool. Man, kudos to y'all. Y'all really doing y'all thing. Y'all growth. Yeah. as we start Good. Jenn Hutchinson: And yeah. One of my biggest things is we are really big as a team on living out the things that we're teaching our residents. And so we talk about community for them and the importance of being involved in church, the importance of growing spiritually. And all of our staff are required to do the same. Because there is nothing worse than telling a client to do something and then looking at you and being like, so Where do you go to church? And you'd be like, And so part of it as a staff, Efrain: Yeah. Practice that you preach. Jenn Hutchinson: yeah, part of it as a staff is we are all committed to doing the same things that we're teaching our residents. Efrain: How big is the organization? Like when you talk about staff wise? Jenn Hutchinson: We have a little over seventy employees. So we also have two thrift stores as well that help fund our organization. And what's neat is they often hire a lot of employees, sorry, they often hire a lot of our prior residents and then they are also part of our service and skills program where our clients can get some of their vocational training as well. So Efrain: That was cool. Jen, we could talk about this forever because you guys have so much going on and I just appreciate that you've invested your life into this due to something that started with you. And because of that, you're willing to help somebody else. And that in itself is selfless work, not selfish work. and it it it takes people to be selfless to really change the world. We want to see a a different world, but are we really practicing what we preach? And you, Jen, are definitely doing that. So I thank you. But I I want you to also kind of speak to that one young boy, that one young girl that may be facing some of the same challenges you face. What do you tell that person? What is those words of encouragement, those words of wisdom for them? Jenn Hutchinson: I think some of the biggest things are there really is somebody out there who does care. There really is hope. There really is more beyond what you can see today. But you've got to reach out for it. There are a lot of things that I tried to do on my own and heal on my own and eventually realize God created us for community. He created us for each other. And it's hard to reach out to community because a lot of times people are the same. thing that hurt us and that's why we kind of back up. But people are also the same things that God uses to help heal us. And so being willing to take a risk, because it is a risk, in reaching out again, but there are people that care, that love you, that can help you out and are willing to walk alongside you. Efrain: I love it. Thank you so much. And that kind of goes back to hopeioa.org. When you're talking about those places that you need assistance that will meet you at where you're at, that will pour into you and that really care. It's hopeioa.org. I'm Efrain. This is Jen. We'll catch you guys in the next one. Laters.