Jul 17, 2018 3 min read

When Steven Adams came to City Mission 22 years ago, he was homeless and grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder from fighting in Desert Storm. Along with food, clothing and a place to stay, the shelter offered Adams counseling and encouraged him to find a job.

Since then, Adams has earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and fathered two children. Earlier this month, he started work as the manager of veteran’s services at Patriot House, the mission’s new residential facility for veterans

“It’s been a pretty amazing journey just to get back here,” he said.

Adams will be sharing this journey with current residents at the shelter and his fellow alumni when they gather with their families at the mission’s reunion picnic on Friday. Two other successful graduates will join Adams in sharing their stories. The event will also feature food, games, prizes, face-painting and a kickball tournament.

Leah Dietrich, director of residential programs at the mission, is gearing up with her fellow staff members to go head-to-head in the tournament against teams made up of alumni and current residents for the grand prize of bragging rights.

“You don’t think of adults as jumping into a kickball game, but there gets to be some rivalries going,” she said. “It just makes really light-hearted fun.”

Although the meet-up at Washington Park will be the first reunion picnic, the mission has hosted other alumni events. Its annual New Year’s Eve party provides a safe and sober place for those recovering from addiction to celebrate the holiday, and allows current residents to mingle with graduates.

Such gatherings are meant to celebrate the success of alumni and to foster relationships between current and former residents. Dietrich also hopes that these events remind graduates that they still have a network of people cheering them on.

“Recovery is a journey that really never ends,” she said. “Knowing that you have people supporting you is huge.”

Adams doesn’t remember attending any alumni reunion events when he lived at the shelter 22 years ago, but he thinks hearing the stories of successful graduates will inspire hope in current residents, and called the idea “the greatest thing ever.”

Though he hasn’t been on the job for long, Adams said he is amazed by how far the mission has advanced since he was a resident.

“The Patriot House is out of this world,” he said. “There’s a lot of help to be had here.”

Now, Adams is working to reach out to homeless veterans to make sure they are aware of the services available to them at the shelter. Along with counseling and career services, Adams said the mission provides its residents with a sense of family.

“I feel like we’re all in this together,” he said. “And isn’t that what family is?”

Dietrich encourages local businesses to consider donating items like gift cards and small prizes that could be included in raffle baskets or given to attendees as favors at the picnic.

“It’s great to be able to give back to people and it means a lot to our residents,” she said. “Even something simple – like a $5 gift card or a $10 gift card to a coffee shop or an ice cream shop. It’s a great way to lift their spirits.”

Businesses can contact Dietrich at 724-222-8530 ext. 212 to discuss donations.