Whether summer or winter, hot or cold, there’s no good time to be homeless.

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Always contending with the dangers of the streets, sometimes debilitating heat and possible dehydration in the summer months accompanied with cold and rain in the winter, homelessness in whatever season is not a walk in the park. Then along with the weather, there’s the almost inevitable depression that accompanies homelessness. … Read More

How Do You Feel when You see the Homeless With a Cell Phone?

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. We all have them, and most of us are at one stage or another of addiction to them. We see people walking along the street reading or tapping out messages to their digital world, and (sadly) still see people digitally engaged while driving. I did see a curious sight the … Read More

Appreciating Mom Every Day of the Year

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. With Mother’s Day on our minds, our thoughts obviously focus on “mom.” For this year’s celebration, let’s make sure that we do more than just buy mom a rose or two, take her out to dinner and go back to the (perhaps selfish) way we behave the rest of the … Read More

What’s Your Target? With All The Noise about Boycotting, Are We Missing the Real “Target,” Poverty in New Mexico?

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. By now, you’ve most probably heard of the American Family Association’s boycott against retail giant Target. The conservative Christian advocacy organization is promoting a boycott of the store, saying it has “crossed the line by intentionally exposing women and girls to voyeurs and sexual predators with their restroom and dressing … Read More

A Day In the Life of the Joy Junction Chief of Security.

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. It’s a word more relevant than ever in our increasingly violent culture-security. Conrad Chavira is an invaluable part of our staff at Joy Junction. He is our chief of security. He recently told me about a typical day. His shift is from 3 p.m. till 11 p.m., the busiest time … Read More

Not At All Routine-A Day in the Life of the Joy Junction Case Manager

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. The term “case manager” is heard a lot, but I wonder how many people know what exactly a case manager does. I asked Carl Valles, our case manager at Joy Junction, to tell me a typical recent day-if there is such a thing. He said he begins by reading all … Read More

Tax Time an Uncertain Time for the Homeless

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. With tax season and filing time being upon us, I wondered how our Joy Junction guests felt about taxes. After all, while you can never escape from the long arm of the Internal Revenue Service, so to speak, when you’re looking for a place to stay and a meal, taxes … Read More

Two Hearts-One Vision

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc.   People “liking” Joy Junction on social media usually do so because they have a concern for the homeless and hungry, and an appreciation for the help that community support allows us to give. However, all of our staff at Joy Junction have a very personal story, which greatly impacts … Read More

Harm Reduction: Reducing Harm or Enabling Addicts?

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. It’s easy (for some) to condemn “harm reduction.” So you don’t know what that is? It’s the giving of clean needles to drug addicts, and condoms to sex workers and others. Like many evangelicals, I used to criticize harm reduction workers as promoting irresponsible sex and illegal drug use. The … Read More

Actress from Down Under Thinks New Mexico Has a “Gummy” Problem

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Australian actress Margot Robbie needs to think before she speaks. Along with Tina Fey, Robbie was on a recent edition of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert promoting the movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,  slated to be released next month. The movie is set in Afghanistan and filmed last year in … Read More

Loving Concern or “Spiritual Molestation?”

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Joshua Stout, manager of a Chick-fil-A in Murfreesboro, Tennessee was willing to buy a homeless man, Justin Burkeen, a full meal. There was just one requirement-that Burkeen allow Stout to pray with him. The interaction was observed by area resident Joey Mustain taking his daughter out for supper, and chronicled … Read More

The Chicken, the Egg and “Comorbidity”

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Which comes first? Does mental illness lead to homelessness, or do the stresses and struggles which accompany homelessness possibly trigger mental illness? Then right alongside that question. Does alcoholism result in homelessness, or the misery of everyday living experienced by many homeless people lead to alcoholism? Writing on our Facebook … Read More

Praised for “Recalibrating” its Approach to Homelessness, Alb. Mulls Criminalizing Panhandling and Starting Additional Emergency Family Shelter

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. A proposal heading to the City Council aims to ban what it considers dangerous behavior by panhandlers across Albuquerque. Sponsored by City Councilor Don Harris and delayed twice, the bill  is scheduled to be heard at the Finance and Government Operations Committee on March 14.  If successful it would criminalize … Read More

Homeless Make Poignant New Year’s Resolutions

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. With Thanksgiving and Christmas behind us, are you beginning to think about the seemingly inevitable subject of new year’s resolutions? You know, stuff like resolving to be a better person, changing jobs, quitting smoking, eating less and exercising more, or some other personal goal you hope to achieve in the … Read More

Joy Junction Open and Ready to Help During Winter Storm; Mobile Feeding Unit on Normal Schedule and Providing Food and Hot Beverages  

News Release from Jeremy Reynalds at Joy Junction Email info@joyjunction.org As Albuquerque works its way through a massive snow storm, Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter, is open and ready to help. Joy Junction Founder and CEO Dr. Jeremy Reynalds said, “While this weather poses a threat to everyone, it is perhaps especially dangerous to the homeless and … Read More

New York Tabloid’s Trashing of the Homeless Has Potentially Dangerous Consequences

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. The New York Post, never considered a shining example of responsible journalism, is at it again. Perhaps most famous for its 1983 headline, “Headless Body in Topless Bar”  Post writers have been verbally savaging the homeless. A recent story by Danielle Furfaro headlined “Homeless reign over LaGuardia to come to an … Read More

Albuquerque Homelessness Rate Drops-Or Not? Depends On Whom You Ask

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Local media are saying that almost a year after the city of Albuquerque did its 2015 homelessness study, the results show a downward shift in the homeless rate. But not so fast! All this positivity is based on something called the Point in Time (PIT) Count. Overseen by the Dept. … Read More

Homeless Worry about Cost of Getting Passport to Access Federal Buildings

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. New Mexicans are lining up in droves to get passports  before their state driver’s licenses don’t get them on planes anymore or they’re denied admission to federal buildings. The tougher requirements mean that by Jan. 10 2016, anyone seeking access to almost all federal facilities in the state will not … Read More

Is Stephen Colbert a Messenger from God?

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. God uses those we don’t like or agree with. Those words were part of Calvary of Albuquerque Pastor Skip Heitzig’s message one Sunday. They reminded me of this meme which I posted on Facebook recently. The words that spoke to me were those that reminded us of our obligation to … Read More

Joy Junction’s 30th Thanksgiving. Shelter Guests Give Thanks

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. It’s almost “Thanksgiving” again at Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter. It’s hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving Day will mark the 30th successive year we have shared the blessing of Thanksgiving with Albuquerque’s many homeless and abused women and homeless families. I’m so thankful to the … Read More

This is Our Life

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. Working at Joy Junction is a way of life more than a job. It takes a calling and a commitment. While there’s no such thing as a “typical” day, here are some highlights from a few recent ones. First order of business for last Thursday upon waking up (like every … Read More

#MyGivingStory. Share Your Story of What Inspires You to Give to Joy Junction

Joy Junction is excited to announce that we’re taking part in the #MyGivingStory contest! This is a great opportunity, and we’re hoping you will help us win! #MyGivingStory is a nationwide social media storytelling contest that aims to foster a public discussion about the reason you give. Specifically, the program invites you to share your story about what inspires you … Read More

Taking Back Albuquerque is in Your Hands

By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. Founder and CEO Joy Junction Inc. After two shootings by repeat offenders that have shaken our city to its collective core, police union officials say it’s time to “take back our city” and show support for Albuquerque police officers by flying blue and white ribbons. “Put them on your homes. Put them on light poles. Put … Read More