A 2ND ACT {helping is healing}
MIRACLES FROM THE STREET A saint, a statue and a mission Judy Pearson | Contributing Writer
Brent Downs knew the Bible stories from his Southern Baptist upbringing. He knew that Joseph was the father of Jesus and that the Bible paints him as a man who was not afraid of hard work. But it took several decades before Brent’s life would also teach him that Joseph was the patron saint of workers. That journey put Brent in the perfect place, at the ideal time. A successful Atlanta businessman with a solid education and a good family background, Downs left the business world at 33. Three years later, he was homeless, with a severe substance abuse problem. He woke up one morning and found himself in a dumpster, zipped up in a body bag. “I was just grateful it wasn’t garbage day,” Downs said with a wry chuckle. It’s that chuckle, and the sparkle in his eyes, that everyone loves. After his homeless wanderings brought him to Phoenix, Downs ended up in a transitional living
space. Looking around him, he realized that a place to live was only the first step off the streets. Having employment was the real way out. His business background gave him an edge and ultimately landed him at St. Joseph the Worker, a 30-year-old Valley nonprofit. “Homelessness is not a state of life; it’s an experience. No one chooses to be homeless,” Downs said. “I look our clients in the eyes and see myself. I can honestly tell them, ‘I know from experience, the hardest thing is trying to get out.’ And it’s my great honor to make that happen. Last year, we helped 3,681 homeless individuals go to work.” MARCH 2020 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 35
