City Pulls Out of Thanksgiving Dinner for the Homeless. Says Possible “Encumbrance” Upon Next Administration

Media Release from Jeremy Reynalds at Joy Junction info@joyjunction.org City Pulls Out of Thanksgiving Dinner for the Homeless. Says Possible “Encumbrance” Upon Next Administration Joy Junction homeless shelter officials were shocked to hear that the Albuquerque city administration-headed by Mayor Richard Berry who has been nationally praised as a homeless advocate-would no longer partially sponsor its annual Thanksgiving Dinner for … Read More

Some Warm Comfort on a Soggy Day

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Some Comfort on a Soggy Day It was the beginning of the regular monsoon time in Albuquerque on a recent Friday afternoon. Driving through a light rain in Albuquerque on a recent Friday afternoon, we spotted this tall, sad looking guy with a small sign, about to become very bedraggled, … Read More

Homeless Address Whether City Should Provide More Help for the Chronic Homeless, Substance Abusers Or Those Who Have Just Gotten Out of Jail. Some Surprising Answers

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Tel: 505 400 7145 Tel: 505 400 7145 There are a number of people in our community dubbed by city of Albuquerque officials and others as “chronically homeless.” Chronic homelessness could be non technically defined as people making excessive use of emergency medical services, and being in and out of … Read More

Christmas in July at Joy Junction

by Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Christmas is one of my favorite times around Joy Junction.    We decorate our multi-purpose building to ring in the season and all the kids help.  Like the wise men, generous friends from all over Albuquerque bring gifts to share with our guests.  We even have a big Christmas dinner with … Read More

Award by Chamber of Commerce for Public Safety to Mayor R. J. Berry During Crime Outbreak Has Homeless Shelter Canceling Membership

For Immediate Release Contact: info@joyjunction.org ALBUQUERQUE, NM – With Albuquerque’s crime rate being the worst in the nation, shockingly, Mayor R. J. Berry has been given an award by the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce for his public safety work. Local media shared some of the community reaction, which was far from positive. Joy Junction Founder and CEO Dr. Jeremy Reynalds … Read More

Kicking the Homeless Can Down the Road or Working Toward a Solution?

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction A homeless encampment in Downtown Albuquerque is drawing concern. Starting with tents, but now with just blankets on the sidewalk, it appears to be primarily individuals gathering after about 9 p.m. daily to “crash” for the night. A piece aired by KOB TV 4 on the issue drew this response from … Read More

Joy Junction: The Next 30 Years

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Joy Junction is  three decades-plus old. It is hard to believe the shelter I founded was 30 years old last Aug., and that I’ve spent more than half my life at what has obviously now become a lifetime calling. Looking back, it seems just a short time ago that I … Read More

ABQ Homeless Looking for More Than a Dry Bed and a Warm Meal; New Mexico’s Largest Shelter to Open 52-Unit Apartment Complex

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc.   It’s no secret that homelessness in Albuquerque is an ongoing crisis. The crisis continues, despite inaccurate promises by some groups to “end” homelessness. Over the last few years, I’ve seen panhandling increase prolifically all over the city, while at Joy Junction, desperate families-often with children-call or visit us daily … Read More

Missing but Not Always Missed

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. A well known but controversial country song contains these lyrics, “He was a missing person who nobody missed at all.” That started me thinking about America’s missing homeless, and whether anyone misses them. The answer seemed pretty obvious on at least a couple of Facebook pages  that I checked out. … Read More

Joy Junction Constructing to Meet Growing Homeless Need in City; Completion of On-Site Apartment Complex Will Allow Donation-Only shelter to Lift Up More Homeless People in Dignity

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO, Joy Junction Inc. With recent national attention on our city’s efforts to reduce homelessness and panhandling in the last couple of years, it’s curious why the total number of homeless individuals doesn’t go down. If anything, according to whom you ask and which statistics you believe, it keeps increasing. In addition, we’re still … Read More

Lifeline of Hope Song

The homeless community needs a bit of hope, just like the rest of us. Joy Junction’s mission has always been to help the homeless community, whether it be a place to stay to help those struggling with addiction, or providing a community where they feel welcome. The Lifeline of Hope, a meals on wheels so to say, is a way … Read More

From Plight to Prosperity

Joy Junction – a well known name in the Albuquerque community and the biggest homeless shelter in New Mexico, didn’t just come about overnight. The Founder and CEO of Joy Junction was once homeless himself. He struggled to find hope and a way for a better life. However, one day he discovered the gospel and was saved by Jesus Christ. … Read More

Day Shelter Program

During those freezing or scorching hot days, many homeless people are left without any relief in sight. It’s been Joy Junction’s mission to help the homeless when and wherever we can. Joy Junction is pleased to announce its new Day Shelter Program. This program gives the homeless a warm or cool place to stay during the day. The homeless are … Read More

Joy Junction’s Life Recovery Program Produces Changed Lives

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc.   When you hear the word homeless, what comes to mind? I’m guessing you may think of the prolific number of panhandlers we have in Albuquerque, someone shuffling through Downtown with a loaded shopping bag, or a person waving his hands to the sky and talking enigmatically to an invisible … Read More

Why the Homeless, Albuquerque, and America Need the “Opposition Party.”

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. There’s a tendency to “write off” some professions. It’s a very bad habit.  For years, victims have included used car salesmen and preachers. Now the media have joined that “elite” list. The media were recently derisively referred to as the country’s “opposition party.” This is a tragic lowering of our … Read More

Stop It and Communicate! Helping the Homeless “Takes a Village,” and Means Brushing Angry Homeless “Partisanship” and More Into the Corner

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. With ongoing national attention of our city’s ongoing efforts to reduce homelessness and panhandling, it’s curious why the total number of homeless individuals doesn’t go down. If anything, according to who you ask and which statistics you believe, it keeps increasing. In addition, we’re reminded of the sometimes deadly effects of … Read More

Homeless Man’s Valentine’s Day Wish to Study the Bible With His Wife , Give Her Roses and Take Her to Eat at Burger King.

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Flowers, candy and cards mark Valentine’s Day, and while crassly commercial and criticized by some, isn’t a day of kindness and love (however superficial) better than more politics, especially in this day of seemingly never ending partisan rancor? Just in case you’re curious, Valentine’s Day as we know it today … Read More

City Residents Concerned About Poor Decision Making and Laziness Being Contributory Factors to Homelessness. Shelter Gets Shocking Emails about the Homeless.

by Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. A new survey carried out for Joy Junction by NM Research and Polling, revealed that 54 percent of residents believe poor decision making and laziness are factors that contribute to homelessness. That’s a potential problem in a city where we have an ever increasingly serious hunger and homelessness problem. At … Read More

Survey Shows Concern about Homelessness Right Behind Albuquerque’s Spiraling Crime Rate

NEWS RELEASE FROM JEREMY REYNALDS AT JOY JUNCTION CONTACT: info@joyjunction.org In a revealing new survey carried out for Joy Junction by NM Research and Polling, when asked about issues facing residents in the Albuquerque area, seventy percent of respondents felt homelessness is a problem, while 43 percent feel it is a very serious problem. Hispanics, those with a household income … Read More

Homeless Share Simple, but Poignant New Year Resolutions.

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. They include getting teeth replaced and spending more time with kids. With Thanksgiving, Christmas and now even the new year behind us, are you still thinking about new year’s resolutions? You know, stuff like resolving to be a better person, changing jobs, quitting smoking, eating less and exercising more, or … Read More

Compassion or Judgment? What’s Your 2017 New Year’s Resolution?

by Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. They’re all over Albuquerque and cities nationwide, holding a variety of signs designed to get you to fork over some spare change. Panhandling verbiage ranges from a simple, “Hungry. God bless,” to “Too honest to steal and too ugly to prostitute.” What do you do? Sometimes it can seem like … Read More

Homeless Shelter Guests Thank Donors Who Make Services Possible

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Joy Junction’s more than 30 year existence is due to God’s faithfulness and community support. We have thousands of generous people who have supported this outreach of compassion for years. Without them, the lifesaving nights of shelter and thousands of meals served each month wouldn’t be possible. We don’t hesitate … Read More