"I just needed a place to catch my breath and focus."

Derek is just one of the 71 individuals that have moved from Grace Campus into unsubsidized housing this year. When Derek first arrived at Grace Campus, he literally had only the clothes on his back. He was adamant about not only getting a job and getting on his feet, but also using the things he had been through to help others one day.

Derek arrived at Grace Campus on a Friday and by Monday had a full-time job. In fact, he even walked through the door with information to post on the bulletin board that might be beneficial for others. He told us that it wasn't exactly the job he wanted, but it was a good start until he could find something better. Derek worked hard the next couple of months.

Using a donated bicycle to get back and forth from work, he quickly added money to the checking account he opened (shout out to Texas Tech's KEY Outreach group for providing financial classes). Before long, he had acquired a better job that provided him with the finances he needed to get a place of his own.

"You will never know how grateful I am for the opportunity to stay here and save up my income to go towards a place of my own." he commented. "When I first got here, I just needed a place where I could catch my breath and focus on what I needed to do. I've got my son back in my life now and a chance to do things different. I could never thank Grace Campus and the people that make this place happen enough."

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