Neph Shares His Story at House of Grace Groundbreaking Ceremony
My name is Neph, and I am proud to call Inn of Amazing Mercy my home. Just five years ago, I was in Kensington, but not lucky enough to know about Project HOME. It is hard to be outside with nowhere to go. You can feel like you’re on your own. That all changed for me when Project HOME and amazing people like JJ entered my life. JJ believed in me and helped remove barriers.
I went from living in an abandoned building right across from Inn of Amazing Mercy to crossing over and now calling it my home. Today, I sometimes need to pinch myself when I wake up – because this feels too good to be true. Project HOME, the people here, what they do with you – as partners – is life-changing. Because it isn’t just about housing. It’s about opportunities, medical care, and education, too. I now have the skills to help others thanks to free classes at Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs.
With the help and support of Project HOME, I’ve been able to enroll in college courses at The Community College of Philadelphia where I’m working towards my associate degree in art. I’ve been there for two years and I’m on track to graduate in January 2027 with honors. My professors and the people I’ve met at college have also made an impact in my life. I’ve even inspired some of them to donate to Project HOME.
When you’re homeless, it’s impossible to hold a job, stay in school, and do many of the things we consider normal. That’s why finding affordable housing is so important, and getting connected to the right resources to break the cycle of homelessness.
I was so happy to hear about our newest building on the way, called House of Grace, because that means more people will have access to opportunities like me. I’m grateful to be connected to an organization that continues to do great work. My dad used to always say you need three things in life; Food, love, and a home, and I’m blessed to have found all three through the community at Project HOME.
Together we can bring everyone HOME. I believe that and I hope you do, too. God bless.
