Janice is homeless for one reason: She’s mentally ill. She suffers from schizophrenia and struggles to separate fact from fiction in her own mind. When you ask Janice about her childhood in Florida, she recalls her mother and a nanny, but then the fantasies take over.

We first met Janice in 1985 when she showed up at our door, cold, hungry and homeless. She told us she has tried to go to Canada in search of her former nanny, but wasn’t allowed to cross the border because she didn’t have the proper paperwork. We gave her food and shelter and helped her sort out the chaos in her mind.

Janice is a wanderer and has spent the past few decades bouncing between several states. But in 2003, she settled down in Grand Forks, where her teenaged children are in foster care.

To prepare Janice for life outside the Mission, our staff is working closely with her, monitoring her medication, and teaching her basic life skills. The structure and constant support Janice receives here have had a remarkable impact on her mental health.

Not long ago we helped Janice move into an apartment, but we’ll continue to provide her with support. And if the challenge of caring for herself proves to be too much for Janice, we’ll welcome her back to the Mission so she doesn’t end up on the streets again.

“The Mission is a wonderful place for someone who doesn’t have anything, Janice shares. “They provide warmth, a roof over our heads, and food and clothing. You can build hopes and build dreams here.

Tomas was a 22-year-old, love-starved kid when he traveled 1,500 miles for a fresh start in Grand Forks. But his dream of a new beginning was squelched as soon as his two caretakers deserted him. Thankfully Northlands Rescue Mission was here for him.

Tomas struggles with a learning disability, but knowing our staff loves him and supports him has helped him grow emotionally and mentally. Shortly after he arrived, Tomas was assigned to help in our kitchen, where chef Al Talamante took him under his wing.

“Al gave me an opportunity because he saw past my physical and mental problems and pushed me in the right direction, Tomas says. “He saw the character I had in me.

As a prep cook, Tomas gained more than cooking skills. He learned compassion. “Al showed me when you serve people and give them a smile, you let them know you care.

Al also helped Tomas find a position as a full-time dishwasher at the Blue Moose Restaurant, a job he’s definitely proud of. “I get a lot of confidence and encouragement from my job, he says. “I’m proud of how far I’ve come.