October 2026 - Volume 38, Number 9 | Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only. (James 1.22)
“THEY’RE GOING TO LOVE YOU BACK TO LIFE.”
After 22 years of heroin & alcohol, Justin’s life changed in one spiritual moment!
For 22 years, Justin battled heroin and alcohol. “My life had crumbled and I was just in total despair,” he says. He showed up to his sons’ games drunk and high. He still remembers the hurt in one son’s eyes when he could not get him to practice.
Justin ultimately came to Wayside, got through detox, and started over. “I was here by the grace of God,” he says.
Detox was painful. Justin prayed, “If you could just take this pain away from me and just continue to walk with me, I will make you a solemn promise that I will never use again.” Then everything changed. “Once I had that spiritual moment with God, it all changed.”
At Wayside, people believed in Justin before he believed in himself. He failed his peer support specialist test, but staff would not let him give up. He took it four times and passed. “I’m so thankful to God that I did that,” he says.
Today, Justin has secured an outside job operating a forklift for a technology company.
His family is healing, too. His younger son calls and video chats often. His mother, a godly woman, sends a prayer by voice message every day.
To anyone still stuck, Justin adds, “Come to Wayside. You can get clean, find peace, and put God first.
They’re going to love you back to life.”
YOUR DONATIONS MAKE SUCCESS STORIES LIKE JUSTIN’S POSSIBLE. Call 502-345-0081 or DONATE HERE
DIRECTOR’S CORNER: Here are simple ways you can help your neighbors over the holidays!
Help make a difference for those in need this holiday season. Wayside welcomes your loving support to ensure everyone has a warm, memorable Thanksgiving & Christmas.
OUR THANKSGIVING NEEDS:
Servers and special project volunteers (stamping mailers, decorating for Christmas setup).
OUR CHRISTMAS NEEDS:
A. Family Sponsors - Choose a family based on your capacity. Call 502-345-0081 for family details, children's ages, and interests. Shop, wrap gifts with care, and drop off by Dec. 22 for our Christmas Eve party.
B. Shelter Men's Christmas Party Sponsor - Churches or groups needed to create gift bags, bake cookies, provide Santa, and host the party. Caroling welcomed!
C. Free Christmas Store Volunteers - Help guide mothers through our store. Call Carol at 502-419-2486 to sign up.
Athena & Ronald came to Hotel Louisville to bless us with their voices.
Bright Path residents made yummy breakfast burritos for our clients.
St John Paul II volunteers helped serve lunch at the Shelter.
Women Find a Safe Place
to Start Over
Women enjoy time together in safety as they work towards permanent housing.
Ms. Deneen is a case manager who helps women set goals, and work toward them.
Wayside’s Emergency Women’s Shelter is now operational, and the news is good. 24 women live there now, and Wayside’s Aaron Jones says that number will grow soon as a second side opens.
The mission is simple: a safe place first, then a home of their own. “The goal is to get them permanent housing,” Aaron says. Each day begins with chores, followed by work toward their individual goals.
Each woman meets with a case manager every week to set career goals and talk about her progress. Every woman also gets therapy from three different therapists. And no men are allowed in the area, except for maintenance.
The wins are already showing. A few women have left the program on a good path. One has signed up for college. Another just started a new job. Others have submitted applications.
Life skills classes cover banking, tutoring, resumes and more. The women also take trips to Wayside's Bargain Center, where they get free interview clothes. "We pretty much provide everything that they need to get started," Aaron says.
Shanté, now working full time, says, "I just want to thank God for it all."
Her home life had broken down. Shanté was staying with her grandmother, and with a boyfriend on and off, but things kept falling apart. She knew it was time to leave. "I'm not a child anymore," she says. She wanted her own place and a chance to do well as an adult.
She fortunately found her way to Wayside for shelter. “Boom, look at God!” she says. After two nights in our White Flag shelter, she moved into the Emergency Women’s Shelter. She calls it ‘amazing.’
Today, Shanté works full time at a restaurant, and she gets Sundays off for church. She believes new residents should find a real job within a month or two. Work therapy is fine at first, she says, but "getting a real job is very important." It helps you save more money and learn to manage it, and Wayside has a savings program to help.
Faith is her anchor. “I’m drawing girls closer to God and people are coming to my church now, and I just love it. I just want to thank God for it all.” To other women, she says, “Continue to pray, always. Yes, it’s hard out here, but He will never leave us.”
To those women still out on the street, Shanté offers encouragement.
“Y’all don’t have to be out there forever,” she says. “They love us so well here [at Wayside].”
NEW BEGINNINGS EMPOWERMENT TEMPLE BROUGHT THE LOVE!
New Beginnings Empowerment Temple came to Hotel Louisville with pizza, school supplies, clothes and lots of other goodies for our clients. We are very grateful for their love!
Clients chose from clothing, shoes, school supplies and much more.
The kids loved looking through everything.
There was something for everyone!
Clients also got to enjoy plenty of delicious pizza.
Special thanks to the whole team of volunteers who worked so hard for our clients.
What a wonderful day it turned out to be!
Would your group like to volunteer?
Text or Call Tracy today: 502-345-0081
or click here!
