Testimonials 

Deb

For years the Justice Van has been very helpful to all of us, giving us food and clothing, and shelter in the form of tents. Always dealing with us in a pleasant and friendly manor, even if we're aren't being very kind. Frank Woods and volunteers are very much needed and very much appreciated. My husband and I have known them for probably about five years now, and over the five-year period we have even come to consider them friends, even family. They've always been very helpful, give good advice, prayer, just all around really good people. Thank you very much Frank and family for your continued support.

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Dennis

The Justice Van team are the most down-to-earth help. This city needs more people like them to open up their heart and soul to us homeless. Since they have started to help us things look better than anything in the past. Their kindness has no end. 

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Jason

I was sick some days and Justice Van brought me food, batteries, shoes, and clothing. It has been a big help.

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Amy

It helps me a lot all the time. Big help to us, we all love you.

Stories and Thoughts

Doug Kelk (JVS Secretary)

It’s a privilege for me to be an intermediary between the “haves” (us) and the “have nots” in my role with Justice Van Society (JVS). Sometimes, when we meet with people who are living on the streets and bring them food, hot chocolate and warm clothes and such, they say things to us like: “You guys are the best. You are keeping me alive.” It’s deeply moving. And frankly, I’m not sure what to say sometimes. Other than: you’re welcome. 

I see in a fresh way how privileged my life has been. And I have a renewed appreciation of how my parents provided for me and nurtured me for so  many years.

On another note, when in the past I thought about “the homeless” I had in my mind a vague, misguided notion of “them” — the bedraggled, lost souls with serious mental health issues who were hooked on drugs. It was a stereotype which made it easier for me to disengage from wondering what I could do. 

Having been out many times in the JVS van over the last couple of years, I now see ’the homeless" as individuals who happen to fall somewhere on a broad spectrum in our community.  Some are strikingly similar to people you and I socialize with regularly.  Not long ago, some of these folks were living in a decent place, had jobs and friends who supported them.  And then the circumstances of their lives changed significantly.  Perhaps it was a job loss, and/or marital breakdown and/or financial hardship from a fire where there was no home insurance.  Each person has his or her own story. And sometimes, someone on the street gets back on their feet — and this can happen overnight — and they are looking restored and thanking us for helping them get through it.  

And, referring back to my former misguided view of the homeless — those plagued with serious mental health issues and addiction issues, many of them, as Frank Woods, the founder of Justice Van Society says, were and are orphans. People who never had a nurturing home, like most of us did. They, too, deserve our generosity. 

I ask myself: where would I be if it had not been for my adoptive parents faithfully providing for me, if not for my mother’s faithful love and patience with me, particularly in my rebellious teenage years? Might I have have ended up on the streets? 

So, it’s humbling for me to think that our small efforts (and there are many of us at JVS with specific roles, so the individual commitment for each is not burdensome) can play a part in getting others — who I now see as my brothers and sisters who are struggling — through some tough times, and sometimes to a place of safety and hope.

So, thank you for being part of the JVS effort to reach out!

Frank Woods (JVS Founder and President)

So one day my friend calls me and says he has three hoodies for me: one 2XL and two lady's. When I went to pick them up, he offered me a pair of size 11 high top Adidas runners. I jokingly said to him that I would be asked for all those articles that night, not knowing that this would be exactly the case. 

When Rita joined me at our starting point she gave me $20 that a neighbor donated. 

At the start of our route Chris, a member of the homeless community, saw us on this very cold evening and asked for a hoodie; he is very tall and the 2XL one that was donated fit him perfectly. Near the end of our route by Central Baptist church, two ladies each asked me for a hoodie and the two lady's ones I was given earlier also fit perfectly. 

In the meantime, a fellow asked me if I would be interested in buying his four sets of Olympic mittens. When I asked him how much he wanted for them, he said $20, so I gave him the $20 that was donated (which Rita had brought). Now, I have only ever carried gloves and never mittens, so thought I would be holding on to them for a while. Shortly after though, a lady came up and asked if she could have a pair of the red mittens. I said that I had a container full of gloves but she explained that both her hands were crippled and she was only able to wear mittens, so I gave her a pair of the mittens I'd bought earlier. 

Last but not least, a young fellow came up and asked if we had any shoes. I asked him what size he was, and he said size 11 men's, so I handed him the Adidas high tops. He thanked me and said he was going to check how they fit. I assured him that they would and he later confirmed that they fit perfectly.
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Another day at the Mustard Seed, a man said his boots were way too big and he needed a pair of size 8 shoes. I had one pair of size 8 hiking boots, which I gave to him in exchange for his size 11 steel-toe boots. That same day, I went to Beacon Hill Park and met another fellow who said he needed some pants. I gave him some new sweat pants which fit him perfectly. He also asked for a nylon hoodie, and we had just received one the day before. He then asked if the steel-toe boots I had just acquired were size 11 as he needed a pair, so I gave him the pair that I was given earlier. He left with a big smile on his face and was so grateful.

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A lady who many of us know was delighted and beamed as we gave her a new tent, tarp, sleeping bag and two gently used coats. She proudly showed us the tent later that night.

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One day, Daniel, who's on our Justice Van team, bought a pizza just to mix it up and give out something special. There was only one person by the Mustard Seed so we decided to give out the pizza at the Bottle Depot on Princess Street, one of our regular stops. We were hoping no more than eight people would turn up as that was how many pieces there were. When we parked and got out to distribute, there were exactly eight people there!! They were thrilled by the hot pizza. We hung out with them for a while and had some great conversation!

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