The Grantees who receive funding from Your Community Foundation inspire us with the meaningful work they do to improve lives in the communities we serve. We are grateful to our grant recipients who have agreed to share their stories with you.

Gateway Rescue Mission exists to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the homeless. The story of Scott, a former Gateway client, serves as a shining example of how a small grant from the Community Foundation allowed this organization to expand its services and make a much greater impact in the lives of individuals.

Gateway provides a place of shelter for approximately 60 men every night and its bunk beds were in need of replacement. Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson, the shelter was able to purchase new, wooden beds. This not only helped Gateway provide better quality services to its clients, but it allowed the center to redirect funds that would have otherwise been used to purchase the beds towards other initiatives, such as the transitional living programming. And that's where Scott comes in.

Scott was a client at Gateway who came to the mission when he was in the midst of a struggle with alcohol addiction. He entered the center and completed its six-month substance abuse treatment program. During those six months, Larry Perry, the Deputy Executive Director of Gateway, identified Scott as a leader. Scott is a contractor by trade, and when he completed his recovery, Larry saw in Scott an opportunity. So he hired Scott to help start a woodworks program at the center. With the money that otherwise would have gone to purchase bunk beds, Larry was able to buy equipment and tools for the workshop. Now, Scott gets to give back by training other clients, and together, they make and sell picnic tables in Gateway's thrift store and do contract work for other projects throughout the city. The money that they make assists them in becoming able to transition to their own housing upon completion of their treatment, and the skills they learn provides a form of job training.

Says Larry, "The grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson made a real, direct impact by creating opportunity for the homeless population in downtown Jackson." What a wonderful testament to the capacity-building of nonprofits by Your Community Foundation!

And as for Scott, he is now a homeowner in South Jackson. And thanks to Gateway's woodworks program, Larry is confident that many more of his clients are on the same track.