Russ

Drugs, alcohol and poor choices; that was how Russ ended up at Whosoever Gospel Mission. The seven months that he spent there brought him closer to the Lord and gave him an opportunity to address and talk about problems and the good things. He explained, “About a month ago some of the guys at Whosoever said that Depaul would be a good place for me where I could save money, and then a spot opened up. I’ve been working full time at a lumber yard for almost three months and now that I live at Depaul, after a full day of work I can relax, talk with the guys and study the Bible. This is a beautiful facility and I really like the people that work here.”

When asked about his goals, Russ said, “My short term goal is to get my driver’s license back. I also want to go back to school – to the Philadelphia Community College – and get a degree in Medical Imaging and Diagnostics. I have a degree in computer programming but now I want to work with people. My counselor has been really helpful, she helped me work out a strategy to go back to school and how to budget. I have been saving money. Long term, I want to get my own place after I’ve saved about $4,000.”

Russ has a five year old daughter who he sees every week and takes her on adventures to the beach or parks. He said that when he graduates from Depaul he would like to come back as a mentor. Russ shared another goal that he is well on his way to achieving, “I want to become a productive member of society.”