It has been five months since Joshua, his wife, and their four small children had to vacate the room they were renting in Los Angeles because the owner was selling the property. In the spirit of celebrating Father’s Day, we have chosen to highlight a father in our program who counts his kids as his main motivating factor. They are what keep him going every single day in his pursuit of housing and building a better life for his family.

“Parents exist to teach their children,” Joshua said. “I don’t want them to go through the things I did in my childhood, so my job is to teach and be a role model for them in what I say and what I do.”

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority, family homelessness has seen a 13 percent increase from 2016 to 2017. Of those families experiencing homelessness, the majority are single mothers with their children, but some include the fathers, too.

“All I want is to be a good role model for them, to be a father who is hardworking and caring,” he said. “I know that they are watching everything I do and say so I want them to learn to be respectful and treat others in the same way we would want to be treated—no matter who they are.”

Since they arrived at the Mission, Joshua and his wife have gained employment, participated in life skills classes and their family has contributed positively to our community.