My name is Steven Petruzzella, and I’m a Phoenix Rescue Mission Case Manager. On the Street Outreach team, our goal is to help people end their homelessness and lead them to Christ. This begins by building relationships and creating trust. I offer water and hygiene items to help meet their immediate needs. I sit with them to hear about their struggles. And I share about the life-changing services available to them.
What most of our homeless neighbors struggle with is feeling human. They feel alone and ignored. I’ve had people say to me, “Thank you for looking at me.”
Brittany, who was homeless for 13 years, is one of the people I’ve been able to help. At first, she didn’t want anything to do with me. But over time she began to open up. I helped her get an I.D. card. And when she finally decided she didn’t want to be homeless anymore, I helped her get the documents she needed for housing assistance. The day she signed the lease, she said, “Now I have a reason to live!”
God is a miracle worker, and it feels awesome to be used by Him. Thank you for partnering with me and our other case managers to help neighbors like Brittany!
