Joy Junction

The most ungrateful organization and people you'll ever meet. Tried donating TVs that are in pristine condition. I upgraded my TVs and they didn't want them because they were to old for their liking. Unless it's a smart tv, they don't want it. Furniture had scratches and not to their standards. Liters thousands of dollars worth of merchandise donated that they complained about. I gave the TVs to a deserving family instead and this will be the last time I donate anything to them. Now I understand what people down on their luck can't help themselves.

It's difficult enough to witness the masses of homeless scattered throughout our Duke City streets, virtually everywhere. Unlike so many major metropolitan areas, ABQ has very few neighborhoods delineated by income; simply put, in much of the city, doctors live next to artists who live next to drug addicts who live next to hedge fund managers. It's a weird town, just ask a taxi driver. It's also a relatively temperate place to huddle down if you don't have a home. Well, until November, that is.As a father, this time of year is exceptionally difficult to imagine from the point of view (and starved belly) of a homeless kid. Freezing, cursed to suffer life's ravages through no fault of their own, there are many, many more of them than you'll see standing near a freeway entrance. I heard the official number on the radio this morning: 1 in 30 U.S. children will experience homelessness this year. I'm betting that ratio is inordinately higher in this city.Joy Junction is New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter. I've visited a few times, only to pick up my daughter, who has donated a fair amount of time feeding the residents. A drive along the property spells out the culture within: underfunded, overwhelmed, people barely survive beyond serious struggle, here. There's plenty of sadness, dispute and tough stuff happening here everyday. All of it tucked deep into the South Valley far away from Tanoan and Ridgecrest. My impression is that the organization does the very best it can with limited resources. This holiday season, consider donating your time, money or material possessions (they have a terrific thrift store and donation center). They can use every last bit of you.

I've volunteered here for years. They have a very structured system on how they go about donations, meals, clothes, etc. They don't just need volunteers during the holidays. You don't even have to serve meals. I've dug up weeds, moved boxes, help with Christmas presents, and play with the kiddos (they are precious). Don't be scared to help out. Just call and ask for Blythe!

I was looking for the address so I could donate some money as I doevery month. I misplaced my address book. I am looking at the reviewsand I am horrified and sad. It is so evil if you are not doing the right thing for God's people. I will have second thoughts on any donation. It hurts my heartand soul to think that we would be so mean and unkind. I am beyond whatto say and think at this moment. father in Heaven I ask for you to rain yourmercy down on this facility every resident, those that work there and heartsbe changed. That your children would be fed properly and treated with thekindness and respect that they deserve. They be properly dressed glovesprovided. Please Lord hear my prayers. I love you and I trust you to helpyour children in the name of Jesus I give it all to you.Linda

Female staff are mean as snakes except the one nice black lady, who actily speaks to the clients with respect...Food is usually undercooked chicken or nasty vegan breads that didn't sell at Trader Joe's. They have 20 kinds of spices in the kitchen but staff doesn't bother to use them.Joy Junction in one word: Crap in the name of Christ.They post online photos of the meals on Facebook for their DONORS (it's all about the money, they don't respect the homeless AT ALL....) every day, but don't show the bruised apples, etc. that they commonly serve almost every day...Freezers full of delicious food they don't bother to cook....They have salad dressing but usually don't bother to use any. Try having salad every day for three weeks with no dressing, yuck.Seniors can't eat any of the salads cuz they're full of hard-to-eat vegetables that you can't eat with teeth or gum issues.They make residents 'volunteer' 20 hours a week even if they have chronic pain. They make people take the gravel outside even when it's 20 degrees outside and they have no gloves....They staff at the gatehouse work 'security' but have not even a knife to defend themselves. Once there was an armed person on the premises and they did nothing to protect the 'volunteers' at the guard shack. ('Volunteering' is required or they kick you out... it's dishonest to call it 'volunteering' since that's a lie and Christians should not lie....' But staff lies in word and deed to protect their precious reputation...Six of the paid staff have narcissistic disorder (I've written two books on psych and I know my stuff....)Any questions?

I became homeless on 7/2019 and had no choice but to go to Joy Junction. Am very thankful that I had a place to sleep at night and take a shower everyday and get fed 3 meals a day. The issue that is disturbing is that most of the female residents and children have to sleep on mats on the floor in a huge dorm like building called the multi. There is a new apartment building that is fairly new there that only people that join the CIP program at joy junction can move into. But if you are employed you can only sleep on a mat on the floor. Administration allow the residents that have been there for many many years to bully the new residents. They allow them to have numerous locker space and allow them to take control of the best blankets, sheets, best mats. I was given a torn blanket by one of the old timers that has lived there for years that hands out the linen at night and when I tried to ask for a different blanket she refused to give me one but gave up to four nice blankets to other women that have been there for a while or that are in the program. When you complain about issues, you are given a form to feel out but that is as far as it gets. I got to volunteer in the kitchen and got to witness the gigantic amount of food in the walk in cooler that is donated by the public to residents at Joy Junction but most of that food is NEVER shared with the residents, it was Taken home by employees. It is sad that people and organizations donate millions and millions of dollars to this place but that money is not put to better the lives of men, women, and children living there.

Disorganized and rude. They didn't have room for all of my furniture even after I confirmed that I had multiple items and that people could go into my house because I could not lift certain items, they said they weren't supposed to do that but would do it "just this time". Then when I called again to see if they could pick up the remainder of what they left, they said I didn't have enough items for a pick up and to call someone else. Never using them again.

Donated my car there instead of selling it....they didn't give us the form for our tax deduction, after asking several times...never again...