When Simon talks about Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities, he does not speak in generalities. He speaks from experience. After all, this is not his first time here. It is his second, and this time, he came back with a very different heart.
Simon first entered the ACTS Training Program in 2022. He completed the program and left Minnesota to pursue what he believed was a new opportunity in New Orleans. Instead, the situation unraveled. He became homeless again, isolated and without support. The streets of New Orleans were not forgiving.
“It was one of the lowest points in my life,” Simon says. “The only thing that kept me going was the fact that maybe I could come back here and try again.”
So he made the call. From hundreds of miles away, Simon reached out to UGMTC staff who knew him, who remembered him and who still believed in him. They welcomed him back, and he returned to Minnesota ready to do the work.
Now three months into the ACTS program, Simon is experiencing stability, structure and healing.
“The ACTS program is a wonderful program,” he says. “It gives you food, clothing, shelter, showers and mental support. Without the staff here, I don’t think I would be here today.”
This time, Simon is approaching the program with patience and humility. He is not rushing through. He is learning. He is healing.
“Now I feel at ease. I feel comfortable. I feel welcomed, and I feel like I can share my story.”
“The first time I was short with patience and rushed everything,” he shares. “Now I feel at ease. I feel comfortable. I feel welcomed, and I feel like I can share my story.”
Simon also talks about the deep bonds formed among residents.
“When you’re working with people side by side every day, it feels like you’re going through the trenches together,” he says. “Life is hard, and you need people to walk with you.”
Looking ahead, Simon carries big dreams. He wants to study criminal justice and one day become a lawyer, because, as he puts it, helping people is at the core of who he is. He knows it will take time, but he also knows he is no longer walking alone.
Most of all, Simon wants others to know that it is never too late to ask for help.
“There is always hope here. To be honest, I wouldn’t be alive without it.”
“No matter how low you are, even if you feel like a failure, these people really care about you,” he says. “There is always hope here. To be honest, I wouldn’t be alive without it.”
Simon’s story is a reminder that healing is not always linear, but hope is always possible when compassion, faith and community come together.