When I was a boy, my family was very disfunctional. My home was a cold and violent place and there was no serenity there for me. So I left. For the next several years I was homeless. For a long time, I never could really get my footing and climb out of it. So eventually I joined the Army.

After my tour of duty in the military, I felt a strong desire to reach out to others that were like I once was. I volunteered at a project in Herndon Virgina, Raven House. It was a home and outreach center for homeless people. I was there for a few years before opening a small project of my own; Abba's Place.

At Abba's, I took in homeless people and collected and distributed clothing to those without a home. Later, I went to Harlem in New York City and volunteered at Emmaus House to learn more about this work I had chosen for myself.

Over the next many years, I continued to reach out when I could but suffered from my own afflictions which hindered me. I had become an alcoholic and addict. And as a result, on several occasions, ended up homeless again.

It wasn't until 2008 that I got into a 12 step program and began my recovery. And not long after that, I began to reach out to my people again.

About the same time, a church I had been attending, Seekers Church in Washington DC had reached out to me. They helped me dig out of my homelessness by providing me with a place to live and other much needed support.

This is when I began building the Friend To The Homeless website in hopes of helping people to be able to connect, in some way with my friends on the street.

I continued to do what I could with my little bit of outreach. Daily, I visited down town DC, met homeless people and took orders for clothing. I then would shop at thrifts stores, fill the orders and deliver them back to my friends.

The folks at Seekers Church began to bring donations of coats and other clothing to aid in my mission. Eventually, we at the church began the Care Pack Program. Seekers people bring in donations of various items to fill the Care Packs and each month we get together and assemble them. Then we all share in giving the Care Packs directly to homeless people in the Washington and Maryland areas.

In 2011, the Care Pack Team was created by myself, as well as by other formerly homeless people and those that wanted to get involved and reach out too. We meet each week and plan on how to keep the program going and growing. The Care Pack Program is now a mission of Seekers Church.

For more information and to get involved, please contact us.

Jake Folger

"Heal Yourself. Enrich Your Life. Help Homeless People."