When James became homeless, he came to the A HOPE Day Center, where we first met him.  He’d moved to Asheville to work, but when he developed some health problems that made him lose his job, he became homeless.  He stayed at the Western Carolina Rescue Mission overnight, came to A HOPE in the mornings, and went to the library or a park in the afternoons, and all that walking just made his health problems worse.  At A HOPE, staff were concerned about his legs, and they referred him to a shelter open at that time at Calvary Presbyterian Church.

             James is a gentle-spirited person, and the staff at Calvary Shelter quickly recognized his ability to work with other folks in the shelter, always looking for the best in individuals that our society often throws away.  Calvary Shelter hired James as a shelter manager, and in that role he took responsibility for the residents & the property when the director was away.

             Because he was so successful at managing the shelter, Homeward Bound hired him as a Safe Haven attendant.  Safe Haven was a former Homeward Bound program that provided shelter to people with mental illnesses, and as Safe Haven staff, James was dependable, knew how to handle difficult clients, and was loved & respected by everyone.

             In 2006, Homeward Bound partnered with Mountain Housing Opportunities to open The Woodfin Apartments, adding 18 units to Asheville’s affordable housing stock & creating a safe apartment building for people experiencing homelessness to move into.  The building needed a resident manager who would live onsite, be responsible for the building, and support the residents, and James was the obvious choice!  He moved into the Woodfin when it opened, and he’s been helping other people make the transition from homelessness to home ever since, taking pride in his job & serving his neighbors with a dedication that makes us take pride in him!