Christine Finds True Love

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StreetTalk Tales From The Relief Bus and The Hope Center

Bringing Hope To The Streets of New York and New Jersey

Christine Finds True Love

Far from a storybook upbringing, Christine on The Relief Bus helped Christine stay clean. She Feldi’s childhood was plagued with the arguing explains, “Serving others and seeing people struggle and tension that came from living with an alcohelped me realize it wasn’t just about me.” holic father. She grew up believing that partying After relapsing and drug use would lead to happiness and popu- larity. When she was twelve-years-old, her father multiple times, Christine was living on the streets passed away, triggering a cycle of substance abuse in her life. By the age of thirteen, Christine homeless and hopeless. was smoking marijuana, drinking, and ______________ She sold her wedding band snorting cocaine. After getting caught and engaged stealing a car, she was court ordered in prostitution “The Hope to enter a drug rehabilitation program: the first of over twenty-five programs Center showed to support her and rehabs she would shuffle between me God’s love heroin habit, using motel rooms over the next five years! At fifteen, she even when I felt and cars for shelter. Christine realized that began injecting heroin and was using so unworthy of she hated who she had become. She was daily by age sixteen. caught shoplifting and sentenced to one love.” Desperate to save her daughmonth in jail. During this time, Christine be_______________ ter, Christine’s mother brought her to gan reading the Bible again and constantly The Hope Center. Christine rememprayed for strength and restoration. After bers, “I was so rebellious at the time. It was her release in 2006, she admitted herself into one last amazing that I came to The Hope Center. It must rehabilitation program and has been clean ever since. have been God.” Pastor Bill Hoffman, President Christine looks back at her experiences at The of The Hope Center, counseled Christine. She Hope Center as pivotal to saving her life. She says, recalls, “Pastor Bill took me under his wing and “The Hope Center showed me God’s love even when I shared his understanding of addiction and the felt so unworthy of love.” Now a loving and sober wife Bible. He was like a father figure to me and I trusted him, because he went through it too.” For and mother to three boys, Christine wants everyone to know, “God’s love is amazing. God loved me even the first time in her life, Christine felt an unwavwhen I was an addict, prostitute, and thief. God wants ering peace and joy. She volunteered serving all of us, just as we are.” bread and soup on The Relief Bus. Working New York City Relief (NYCR) was founded in 1989. NYCR serves as an umbrella organization for two outeach programs: The Relief Buses of

CONTACT I N FO

NY/NJ and The Hope Center in Elizabeth, NJ.

P.O. Box 64 times Square P.O. New York, NY 10108-0064

The Relief Buses of NY and NJ are two converted buses that feed and connect the homeless, substance abusers, and the working poor to resources of help and hope.

Ph. 800.736.2773

The Hope Center is a community outreach center in Elizabeth, NJ that offers support groups for substance abuse, emergency food pantry, and crisis counseling and referrals.

Fx. 908.352.6446 www.ReliefBus.org [email protected]

Don’t Walk By

During the month of January, as a member of Rescue Alliance NYC, The Relief Bus was integral in an outreach initiative called DON’T WALK BY. 1379 volunteer rescue workers served by walking every street in Manhattan, looking to connect people to help. 1223 homeless people were engaged on the street, 381 returned to the anchor church for a meal, and 93 were transported to a bed at a rehabilitation program.

Volunteers invite a homeless woman in the subway to dinner at the anchor church for that night’s outreach.

Enthusiastic DON’T WALK BY Volunteer Rescue Workers

Homeless man receiving hot chocolate at The Relief Bus

Relief Bus Outreach Director Austin Bonds and Outreach Trainer Jim Berry pray for a homeless man

Just a few of the faces of people who got a hot meal and a helping hand to get off of the streets.

Please join our monthly support team today for $25, $50, $100 or more so that The Hope Center and The Relief Bus can continue to help people like Christine and transform the communities we serve in. All gifts are tax-deductible. Make your check out to “New York City Relief” and mail in the enclosed envelope or give online at www.reliefbus.org. Thanks for caring.