The PARC

SUCCESS STORY!

This is Thomas: He first came to the PARC while struggling with drugs and alcohol addiction. He often felt at rock bottom, with no place to go and even attempted to take his own life.

While Thomas had no home, the PARC was a safe place he could come and find community. He spent much of his time reading scripture and asking Terry questions about faith. Terry and Thomas have a deep relationship that largely influenced Thomas’ decisions even since moving away from Amarillo.

Thomas decided to turn his life around, and he has been successful in his endeavors! He is no longer addicted to drugs and alcohol, and is a floor tech manager at a local hospital. When describing his current life, Thomas says he has decided to live life God’s way, walking with Him through it all. It is evident to himself and everyone at the PARC that true life that has taken root in Thomas’ heart.

When speaking about the PARC, Thomas said “This place has been a tremendous part of my recovery.” We love to walk alongside our members in their highs and lows, and hearing Thomas’ story is an encouragement to us all.

IN NEED OF CANVASES 🎨

Creativity is a core value at the PARC, and often our members live this out through art. One of the greatest ways we can cultivate a creative environment is by having ample supplies for our members. We are in need of 8x10 canvas boards so our members can continue to have options for their projects! We greatly appreciate your generosity to our mission.

Meet Silas! This 8-year-old artist joined us to lead an Art of Animation class, where he taught us how to draw and shade Mickey Mouse and Mario. Our members loved learning from Silas as he shared one of his greatest passions. 

At the PARC, we acknowledge that we can learn from people of all ages and talents. We are so grateful to Silas for the time he spent and the gifts he shared with us💛

☕️HELP US KEEP OUR COFFEE BAR FULL☕️

In a week we go through 3,300 cups of coffee, 37lbs of sugar, and 30 cans of creamer!!!
Coffee is so important to our members! We offer unlimited coffee, creamer, and sugar. This sets the perfect environment that is welcoming, fosters relationships, and inspires creativity.
Since day one, all of our coffee has been donated by you! Please help us continue to keep our coffee bar stocked by donating Folgers coffee, creamer, and sugar!

Corbin raised almost $400 at his lemonade stand! It sure was fun getting to show him all the things his money is going to do:)
Thank you Corbin!

Meet our member Cody! 
Cody’s favorite part of his week at the PARC is when Shawn leads us in our Circle of Support Group. In this group, we pass a rock around the circle to signal whose turn it is to speak. As our members wait for their turn, they listen to who is sharing. Cody loves this group because it’s unique! He gets to hear and learn from each of his peers, which means lots of new perspectives on life! Everyone is heard here, and everyone is valued!

Meet Shawn Nelson! 
In July of 2024, he began his class “Circle of Support”, taking much of his stylistic inspiration from Jack’s Circle, led by Jack Dison. Shawn’s heart is in helping our members focus on what they can control in a life where most things are out of their control. His classes include discussions about purpose and growth, helping our members take steps towards progress in their own lives. Shawn is especially touched by how his group has grown since he first began. What started out with fewer than 10 people had over 40 this week! Our members, such as Cody, have grown fond of Shawn and his class, making this time their own. Rather than make Shawn enforce the expectations, our members ensure everyone is heard and respected during group.

At the PARC, we are dependent on our volunteers. We love and appreciate all they do!

We are BETTER TOGETHER!
Please join us for the PARC’s volunteer meeting!
Whether you’ve been serving for years or are just curious about getting plugged in, we would love for you to join us. We’ll share upcoming events, vision, & ways to get connected.
Bring a friend & enjoy some light snacks.
Come be a part of our community where relationship are built & lives are changed❤️

At the PARC, we choose relationship. 

We love it when our members ask and seek answers to hard questions, so we create an environment where they feel comfortable enough to do so. This is a judgement-free space, one of acceptance and respect. Our members know they can share their experiences without fear of being criticized or ostracized.

We are a place where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together to learn, grow, and challenge one another. Within our daily conversations and classes, we are a safe space for our members to express what they are experiencing and work through that with us. 

For Elijah, friendships are fostered through his time at the PARC. That’s why he keeps coming back. One of his favorite things is spending time with his best friend, Ash, discussing topics from politics to religion and more. New perspectives and ways to view life are brought to his attention through these conversations.  After reflecting on his time at the PARC, Elijah said, “The only thing I view as failure every day is if I don’t learn anything.” 

In a life that can often be isolating, we all find life in the community at the PARC.

Meet Elijah! We love him and want to share a day in his life with you:
Elijah’s life often feels uncertain, not knowing where he’ll sleep each night, how he’ll shower, or when he’ll eat. 

Morning: When Elijah wakes up, he immediately gets busy. Most mornings that includes coming to the PARC for a cup of coffee and community. Then he rides the bus across town to work.
Afternoon: Six days of the week, Elijah works as a manager at two pizza restaurant locations.  He’s held this position for three years and is viewed as an outstanding employee according to his boss and coworkers. (We’re so proud of him!)
Evening: After work, he often walks more than 45 minutes back to his tent because the buses have stopped running. Each day has the possibility that Elijah moves his tent to a new location.
It is important to Elijah that he stays clean, which means he searches daily for a sink to shower in. He carries around soap with his belongings, taking advantage of opportunities that arise. 

Through a life where each day looks different and nothing is guaranteed, Elijah finds stability in his routine and job. His workplace gives him somewhere to be and something to do instead of focusing on things he cannot control. As Elijah navigates every day life, we love and support him in his success and in his hard times. No matter the situation, he comes to the PARC where there’s always something to work on, creativity to be explored, and friends to walk alongside him! 

Homelessness doesn’t always look like what we expect, but we’re grateful to get to share this journey with Elijah. Comment below if you want more day in lives of our members!