Perseverance in Hope 2014 Entertains, Enlightens and Energizes

Joseph’s Home Executive Director Georgette Jackson and Keynote Speaker Paul Meshanko

On June 20, guests of Joseph’s Home’s 2014 Perseverance in Hope event left Windows on the River with the satisfying knowledge that they had helped acutely ill homeless men to heal their lives.

Guests participated in a raffle for an iPad mini and bid on 26 silent auction items, which helped raise more than $39,000 to help acutely ill homeless men recover their health and rebuild their lives at Joseph’s Home.

Attendees also came away empowered to spread wellbeing in their workplaces, families, social networks and communities.

After lunch and a heart-warming program, which included a testimonial from former Joseph’s Home resident Michael Allen and presentation of the 2014 Making A Difference Award to Rosary Hall, keynote speaker Paul Meshanko of Legacy Business Cultures kept the audience engaged with a lively presentation about the power of respect.

Meshanko mixed scientific data about the brain and human behavior with personal anecdotes, pop culture references and audience participation to promote respect as a vital key to unlocking human potential.

Of course, respect is integral to the mission of Joseph’s Home, as revealed in the following statement from Joseph’s Home Executive Director Georgette Jackson on josephshome.com: “At Joseph’s Home we fight every day, one man at a time, to create the opportunities that change an individual’s course in life. We see the whole man. We see his spirit, his heart, his character and his passion to be renewed. Joseph’s Home is special. I am proud to share it with you.”

Meshanko closed his presentation by reflecting on Georgette’s quote. With the entire audience standing and holding hands to form an unbroken chain of connection, he urged everyone to devote themselves to the same respectful approach to the people in their lives.

Meshanko’s 2013 book, The Respect Effect, was available for sale after the program. It quickly sold out, with proceeds from book sales at the event donated by Legacy Business Cultures to Joseph’s Home.

The Joseph’s Home team is deeply thankful to Paul Meshanko and everyone who helped make Perseverance in Hope 2014 an incredibly enjoyable and successful event. In particular, we want to acknowledge:

• Emcee Dawn Kendrick of 19 Action News. Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious. Her professional expertise kept the program moving and her passion for the Joseph’s Home mission of healing lives touched everyone.
• Orlando Howard and the staff of Rosary Hall, who are distinguished both by their skill and compassion. Joseph’s Home residents are extraordinarily privileged to have access to the excellent substance abuse treatment Rosary Hall provides.
• The employees of the Sisters of Charity Health System, who volunteered their time the day of the event and in the preceding weeks and months. Their hard work and dedication made things run smoothly, and allowed the Joseph’s Home team to provide guests with a first-rate experience.
• The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. Their wisdom and courage brought Joseph’s Home into being and their example of service inspires all of us. Their unwavering support of Joseph’s Home means everything to us!
• The many sponsors and donors whose financial and in-kind contributions made the event possible and whose support is literally saving and restoring lives. Their generosity is both gratifying and humbling.

Visit the event website for more about Perseverance in Hope 2014, including: photos, a link to the slides from Paul Meshanko’s keynote presentation, and full listing of the sponsors and donors.