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Welcome Homeless: One Man's Journey of Discovering the Meaning of Home
Homeless. No other word better describes our modern-day suffering. It reveals one of our deepest and most painful conditions—not having a sense of belonging. However, Alan Graham, founder of Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Community First! Village, is improving the quality of life for a large quantity of people through sharing his personal story of becoming more human through humanizing others. Graham believes the more we can give people dignity, the power of choice, and genuine community, the better we’ll be able to offer solutions that will have impact on the world at large. And while his missionary work is focused on giving a home to the physically homeless, he also wants to transform the lives of every living person by shifting the paradigm in understanding what it means to be “home.” In Welcome Homeless , Graham delves deep into what it means to be connected to God, the earth, and each other. In doing so, he shows us the home we’ve all longed for but never had. Welcome Homeless is about becoming fully human by being fully present. It is about finally connecting with the disconnected and finding our identity through knowing the true identity of others. Graham wants to engrain the human story in you so deeply that you start being who you were made to be—that you start finally being like the image from which you were made and start empathizing instead of sympathizing with the people around you. Similar to how we can become 100 percent fully human by mimicking the ultimate image, we can shape a better world by mimicking the picture of the new heaven and the new earth—a picture that has reality at the heart of it but is beyond our imagination. Alan Graham also shares his personal story, the stories of the homeless, and the stories of those whose worldviews have been shifted by the homeless. Because of his raw, humorous, and honest voice, he achieves a rare and profound universality. Houses become homes once they embody the stories of the people who have made these spaces into places of significance, meaning, and memory. Home is fundamentally a place of connection and of relationships that are life-giving and foundational. Graham invites you to make everyone feel truly at home by finally inviting those living on the fringes of society into your heart. This is why Welcome Homeless is about doing, not saying. It is about taking the ultimate and forward-thinking vision of a new heaven and new earth and literally breaking the soil so that new earth can exist here today. It is about realizing that homelessness is not fundamentally a consequence of moral and spiritual inadequacies; but rather it is often the logical and economical outcome for a large part of our population. So, what does your vision of humanity and love look like? Whatever the vision, it should look like community. People should feel more alive after they meet you. When your consciousness changes from one of self-absorption to a consciousness aware of its human desire for connection, compassion, kindness, and beauty, you will start seeing things differently—and others will start seeing you made anew as well because the absolute greatest self-help occurs when you help others
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2017
65 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
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December 7, 2024
In a very real sense, I'm extremely fortunate to have the Catholic TV app!
In the sense that it is not afraid to push our boundaries, and include the hour-long film that Alan's fans and coworkers made of his hard life, in its regular rotation.
That documentary was made following the publication of THIS BOOK. This book put Alan (and all the wonderful people he has touched) On The Map.
Alan's a lot like me - if you raise my minimal energy level to the nth power. My bipolar condition, now medicated, was my body's reaction to traumatic adolescent stress, just as Alan's rough past, convicted, stressed him out - into the faith we both now share.
And not finding any shelter thereafter in my childhood autism, we said our active Yes to Life. Like CatholicTV.com, We Fought the Good Fight.
Trauma can be the seed of a renewed Vision! Even for the chronically alienated.
Alan's once-crippled vision became vast! For he was dreaming in Technicolor of new housing communities based upon the brainstorm of small individual volunteer-built mini-dwellings for the transient urban poor.
All built by sheer Faith. For the dignity and betterment of traumatised homeless souls.
The first one was in Texas, Alan's home state. With spiritual sharing there may soon be many more.
Alan is a loose, gangly though paunchy senior much like me.
He thrives on social interaction.
He takes his time in moving around - and is it any wonder?
The poor we have always with us, but Alan's vision helps mitigate their hell:
And with so much to be done, he wants to lengthen the lifespan he needs for it.
***
And now, just so you can see this amazing first development up close for yourself, here's a newer but nonetheless excellent video overview of Alan's Austin, Texas homeless project:
https://youtu.be/Ife7WbktJYM
ENJOY!
In the sense that it is not afraid to push our boundaries, and include the hour-long film that Alan's fans and coworkers made of his hard life, in its regular rotation.
That documentary was made following the publication of THIS BOOK. This book put Alan (and all the wonderful people he has touched) On The Map.
Alan's a lot like me - if you raise my minimal energy level to the nth power. My bipolar condition, now medicated, was my body's reaction to traumatic adolescent stress, just as Alan's rough past, convicted, stressed him out - into the faith we both now share.
And not finding any shelter thereafter in my childhood autism, we said our active Yes to Life. Like CatholicTV.com, We Fought the Good Fight.
Trauma can be the seed of a renewed Vision! Even for the chronically alienated.
Alan's once-crippled vision became vast! For he was dreaming in Technicolor of new housing communities based upon the brainstorm of small individual volunteer-built mini-dwellings for the transient urban poor.
All built by sheer Faith. For the dignity and betterment of traumatised homeless souls.
The first one was in Texas, Alan's home state. With spiritual sharing there may soon be many more.
Alan is a loose, gangly though paunchy senior much like me.
He thrives on social interaction.
He takes his time in moving around - and is it any wonder?
The poor we have always with us, but Alan's vision helps mitigate their hell:
And with so much to be done, he wants to lengthen the lifespan he needs for it.
***
And now, just so you can see this amazing first development up close for yourself, here's a newer but nonetheless excellent video overview of Alan's Austin, Texas homeless project:
https://youtu.be/Ife7WbktJYM
ENJOY!
December 1, 2023
Graham tells stories of the homeless individuals he's met and worked with in his ministry Mobile Loaves and Fishes.
The problem is that Graham, in his effort to focus on the positive in these people and their made-in-God's-image status, ends up romanticizing poverty, addiction, and mental illness. For example, on page 46, he recounts the following story:
Really, the moral of this story is simply that J.P. is in denial. Graham is reading way too much into this.
He tries to redefine the definition of "homeless" by talking about the emotions and connectedness of "home," but that's really not what the term means. He states at one point, "I don't like calling Danny homeless because so much about him is so homeful. Especially when so many people with extraordinary homes are pretty homeless when it comes to matters of the heart and soul." (p 65)
Graham seems to overlook very practical matters and tries to spiritualize everything. To try to keep the practical and spiritual in balance is one thing, but that is not what he's doing.
It's also hard to take seriously the words of someone who spouts off shoulds when they themselves aren't living out those shoulds. He scoffs at those who give 10% of their income away (side note: most American Christians give less than 3% in reality), and says people could/should give away 50-80% of their incomes. I don't even disagree with his point, but a few pages earlier, he was talking about how he has an Apple watch and loves it. Perhaps if he seemed more extreme in his own lifestyle choices, I could understand the extreme judgment he passes on others.
A huge problem for me is that Graham kept referring to certain individuals as "Christlike" when there was no indication that they were even Christians. He decided they were "Christlike" because they were "good people" or generous in some way. But there are lots of "good" people who don't know Jesus Christ. What makes a person "like Christ" comes in their attitude to God the Father. Jesus Christ laid down his own will, and even his life in surrender to the will of God the Father. This is what we have to do in order to be Christlike. There was very little mention of the actual, true Gospel in these pages.
Graham also claims "... the disrespect for human life is almost a distinctly Western problem." (p 98) Since when?! Every culture in every part of history has dealt with humans not valuing the lives of others. This is the problem of a fallen world, not of the West exclusively.
There are so many other books that will encourage Christians and spur them on to good works, while simultaneously presenting accurate information about Jesus Christ. I recommend reading one of those and skipping this one!
The problem is that Graham, in his effort to focus on the positive in these people and their made-in-God's-image status, ends up romanticizing poverty, addiction, and mental illness. For example, on page 46, he recounts the following story:
He asked me if the glass-plastic-poly-whatever elephant in his yard was crystal. It wasn't, but I still replied, "Yeah, maybe." He said, "Screw you, I know it is." This small ability to see the potential renewal in anything and value in everything, so embedded in J.P., brought a new sense of sacredness to all space and all practice, as everything was now seen on a heaven-bound trajectory of restoration.
Really, the moral of this story is simply that J.P. is in denial. Graham is reading way too much into this.
He tries to redefine the definition of "homeless" by talking about the emotions and connectedness of "home," but that's really not what the term means. He states at one point, "I don't like calling Danny homeless because so much about him is so homeful. Especially when so many people with extraordinary homes are pretty homeless when it comes to matters of the heart and soul." (p 65)
Graham seems to overlook very practical matters and tries to spiritualize everything. To try to keep the practical and spiritual in balance is one thing, but that is not what he's doing.
It's also hard to take seriously the words of someone who spouts off shoulds when they themselves aren't living out those shoulds. He scoffs at those who give 10% of their income away (side note: most American Christians give less than 3% in reality), and says people could/should give away 50-80% of their incomes. I don't even disagree with his point, but a few pages earlier, he was talking about how he has an Apple watch and loves it. Perhaps if he seemed more extreme in his own lifestyle choices, I could understand the extreme judgment he passes on others.
A huge problem for me is that Graham kept referring to certain individuals as "Christlike" when there was no indication that they were even Christians. He decided they were "Christlike" because they were "good people" or generous in some way. But there are lots of "good" people who don't know Jesus Christ. What makes a person "like Christ" comes in their attitude to God the Father. Jesus Christ laid down his own will, and even his life in surrender to the will of God the Father. This is what we have to do in order to be Christlike. There was very little mention of the actual, true Gospel in these pages.
Graham also claims "... the disrespect for human life is almost a distinctly Western problem." (p 98) Since when?! Every culture in every part of history has dealt with humans not valuing the lives of others. This is the problem of a fallen world, not of the West exclusively.
There are so many other books that will encourage Christians and spur them on to good works, while simultaneously presenting accurate information about Jesus Christ. I recommend reading one of those and skipping this one!
February 8, 2021
I met Alan Graham several years ago at the Mobile Loaves and Fishes office on the grounds of St Neumann Church in the Westlake Hills neighborhood in Austin, a very affluent neighborhood. Alan is a visionary and more than a bit of a mystic, and has championed for the homeless in Austin Texas. He started the food truck program that provides sandwiches and clothing to street people, and I volunteered at the annual Thanksgiving dinner where we fed 400 homeless people food donated by local restaurants. He also hired a friend of mine when both her and her husband lost their jobs in the high tech industry. He went on to start the Community First Village of tiny homes to house those who wanted to get off the street. I have nothing but love and respect for Alan as he does God's work despite criticism from those who think he is not the right kind of Christian or those who criticize his strategies. The book is just the beginning, and we should take a page from his book about ignoring those in need.
July 31, 2022
This book quickly became one of my all-time favorites before I had even gotten 1/2 way through. If I could buy every person a copy of this book- I would. Alas, I cannot :(
Alan’s story is inspiring. His desire to learn from people who are outcasted and immediately looked down upon, even steered away from, is something that I desire to have for myself. His honest reflections on seemingly insignificant situations showed me more clearly how no moment or detail about life is insignificant- that you can also find meaning in the roughest, most different and difficult of places. I want that of my life: that reflective mindset.
Another thing I gathered was just how beautiful it is that Alan was able to have a part in some of these people’s stories, but that he had to take the step to find them. He had to go out and look. I like that about him- he’s a doer. He speaks with compassion and genuine wonder at the beauty of the person in front of him. A real love for those people. I also love how Alan honestly speaks of the way that the church has treated homeless people negatively, but explains so clearly why Jesus’ love opposes this harsh idea we’ve come to accept.
Definitely add this one to your list.
Alan’s story is inspiring. His desire to learn from people who are outcasted and immediately looked down upon, even steered away from, is something that I desire to have for myself. His honest reflections on seemingly insignificant situations showed me more clearly how no moment or detail about life is insignificant- that you can also find meaning in the roughest, most different and difficult of places. I want that of my life: that reflective mindset.
Another thing I gathered was just how beautiful it is that Alan was able to have a part in some of these people’s stories, but that he had to take the step to find them. He had to go out and look. I like that about him- he’s a doer. He speaks with compassion and genuine wonder at the beauty of the person in front of him. A real love for those people. I also love how Alan honestly speaks of the way that the church has treated homeless people negatively, but explains so clearly why Jesus’ love opposes this harsh idea we’ve come to accept.
Definitely add this one to your list.
April 27, 2022
So good!
"I think it's time now that you and I change the way people how we are to serve people -- that it's not with an attitude that says, 'Here's your need...' But rather, it starts with you and I participating -- not with our checkbooks, but with our lives. Allowing our threads to be so intertwined that their suffering is our suffering."
"I think it's time now that you and I change the way people how we are to serve people -- that it's not with an attitude that says, 'Here's your need...' But rather, it starts with you and I participating -- not with our checkbooks, but with our lives. Allowing our threads to be so intertwined that their suffering is our suffering."
July 14, 2021
I have spent some portion of my life in homeless advocacy, so it was only a matter of time before someone introduced me to Alan Graham’s introspective memoir, “Welcome Homeless.” I found myself immediately connecting with Graham in this way, down to the unwritten philosophies that we both seem to operate under. For instance, one of my personal mantras in homeless advocacy has always been “if you aren’t getting out of your car, then you’re not doing your job.” Imagine how pleasing it was to see Graham state on page 17 that “You can’t understand the heart of people from a car. You’ve got to get out of the car.”
But my (perhaps narcissistic) appreciation for Graham went beyond my like-mindedness with him. I can’t tell you how many times I interrupted myself reading this book to lean over to my wife and say, “this guy is one of the best storytellers out there.” I pride myself on telling stories through my writing, which often makes it hard for me to appreciate other novels and memoirs. Not with this book. I found myself strongly admiring the way Graham (and agent/editor Lauren Hall) was able to weave individual stories into universal truths, just as seamlessly as his ministry has allowed him to weave peoples’ lives together.
The crux of this book - beyond the stories themselves - is that America has become an interpersonal, impersonal society. Graham makes the compelling case that the thing that our nation lacks most isn’t necessarily a lack of sociopolitical equilibrium (though that’s probably a Top 3 contributor), but what we lack most is true community and the meaty relationships that come with such an environment.
This book changed my way of thinking, even as I’ve already been working in this social justice area for awhile. Very few books in my life have ever done that - I can count those books on one hand. The most important takeaway that I got from this book was the impenetrable truth that so many of us forget when we see a person experiencing homelessness: God is in the dumpster just as much as He’s in our cookie-cutter suburban granite-counter-toting kitchens.
But my (perhaps narcissistic) appreciation for Graham went beyond my like-mindedness with him. I can’t tell you how many times I interrupted myself reading this book to lean over to my wife and say, “this guy is one of the best storytellers out there.” I pride myself on telling stories through my writing, which often makes it hard for me to appreciate other novels and memoirs. Not with this book. I found myself strongly admiring the way Graham (and agent/editor Lauren Hall) was able to weave individual stories into universal truths, just as seamlessly as his ministry has allowed him to weave peoples’ lives together.
The crux of this book - beyond the stories themselves - is that America has become an interpersonal, impersonal society. Graham makes the compelling case that the thing that our nation lacks most isn’t necessarily a lack of sociopolitical equilibrium (though that’s probably a Top 3 contributor), but what we lack most is true community and the meaty relationships that come with such an environment.
This book changed my way of thinking, even as I’ve already been working in this social justice area for awhile. Very few books in my life have ever done that - I can count those books on one hand. The most important takeaway that I got from this book was the impenetrable truth that so many of us forget when we see a person experiencing homelessness: God is in the dumpster just as much as He’s in our cookie-cutter suburban granite-counter-toting kitchens.
April 8, 2025
A sweet book on life with the poor in the American context.
Nothing in this book was jarring or revolutionary. Graham is simply sharing his love for his people with us. I have immense respect for the simpleness and clarity. These are just his friend's stories. These are people we have all met that got stuck in a bad situation.
It is certainly one sided. Not all homeless people are innocent bystanders to the trials of life. But I think I agree with him that more are bystanders than we initially think. His one sidedness does at times come across as romanticizing the tragic. Life on the street is not something anyone envies in real life, but the way he writes makes it sound pretty sweet.
His reminder of the centrality of community in life is key. I am inspired by his ability to foster such a thriving community.
3/5
Nothing in this book was jarring or revolutionary. Graham is simply sharing his love for his people with us. I have immense respect for the simpleness and clarity. These are just his friend's stories. These are people we have all met that got stuck in a bad situation.
It is certainly one sided. Not all homeless people are innocent bystanders to the trials of life. But I think I agree with him that more are bystanders than we initially think. His one sidedness does at times come across as romanticizing the tragic. Life on the street is not something anyone envies in real life, but the way he writes makes it sound pretty sweet.
His reminder of the centrality of community in life is key. I am inspired by his ability to foster such a thriving community.
3/5
January 27, 2020
Inspiring true story about one man's journey to effecting change within a community of people who live without homes. This book details Alan Graham's first introduction to the homeless community of Austin, TX and how he becomes involved with them and tries to understand what makes them tick and why. He develops a theory which attempts to explain the origins of homelessness which I think explains maybe half the cases. What he didn't do is address the role that mental illness plays in homelessness. I know for certain that a huge factor in homelessness is untreated mental illness; many of these people come from loving families with resources but the illness takes over. This really isn't addressed. What is particularly inspiring is what this man does to help the communities of people who are willing to be helped. It sounds as though, he has really created something amazing and I plan to follow this further and try to visit the community he has created.
December 29, 2021
Welcome Homeless: One Man’s Journey of Discovering the Meaning of Home is an inspiring memoir written by Alan Graham with Lauren Hill. Graham is the founder of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, a food truck ministry, as well as Community First! Village, an ever-growing village of small houses and trailers. His compassionate ministry to the unhoused is firmly rooted in his Christian faith:
I enjoyed reading the back stories of several folks that I’ve met when volunteering at the Village. Since this book was published in 2017, Community First! has almost doubled in size, and visitors can stay onsite in their own tiny house. Austin is so fortunate to have Alan Graham in our midst!
The call to justice is always a matter of recognizing the pain and oppression in the life of another, of sharing the pain in one’s own life, and then of bearing the image of the compassionate God by embracing the pain and instituting ways of life that will alleviate that pain.
I enjoyed reading the back stories of several folks that I’ve met when volunteering at the Village. Since this book was published in 2017, Community First! has almost doubled in size, and visitors can stay onsite in their own tiny house. Austin is so fortunate to have Alan Graham in our midst!
August 12, 2019
Life changing. Really makes you think about choices in your life. How different it could be. Homelessness. Tiny house village in Austin. Stories of homeless men and women and how they affected the author and CEO of the Village intertwined with biblical notes. True.
January 16, 2022
This book far exceeded my expectations. Alan Graham’s stories about life-changing encounters so beautifully describes how Mobile Loaves and Fishes succeeds in getting to the root of what it means to be home.
February 13, 2024
This is a wonderful book that challenges us to see - really see - people who are homeless not only as people, but the face of Christ. I suggest that the great gift the author gives is not only the stories of the people he encounters, but the courage to be able to see them as people. I think he helps the reader to have the courage to enter into the world of the homeless and with them (not for them) find a new way of being "home" (practically and theologically) together. This is a great book for preachers, those interested in social justice, and those who need to find the courage to change the lives of people.
May 5, 2019
The work being done by Mr Graham is foundational to the health of the community, the dispossessed, and ultimately the soul. What he does in bringing unconditional love to the homeless and hurting people on Austin’s streets is to show us the way. If we are judged as a society and nation by how we treat our most vulnerable then Alan Graham is a saint. Read the very short, but powerful book to get a glimpse into the lives of people we encounter daily, but so often choose not to see or are too busy to consider. This is a book that will change how you view the world and yourself.
May 20, 2021
This book contains stories of homeless people the author encountered during years of work with that population in Austin TX. These stories are shocking, painful and inspiring. Warning: you may be forever changed by reading this book!
June 4, 2017
A desire for home, for community...we all have this in common. Alan opens up the world of the homeless to all of us who see and wonder what we can do. It is done honestly and with heart and humor.
April 2, 2024
I would have rated this book 5-stars if it was 300 blank pages simply because I’ve witnessed the impact of Alan and his divine calling on the city of Austin and its residents. When I was 13, I volunteered at the Community First! Village for the first time when there was nothing but acres of untilled land and a measly chicken coop (I got pecked by the chickens and found the whole coop-situation deeply upsetting as a 13-year-old city girl). Then, once trailers, RV’s, and homes began to appear, I continued to volunteer by delivering birthday dinners to the residents, supplying trucks, and working farmers markets in my spare time. And for some reason, I have a faint memories of the bees? But i can’t remember when or why I was with them? Last year, I had the absolute pleasure of waiting in line at a Southwest gate next to Alan Graham. I think it remains one of the few instances I’ve ever been “star struck” (and he really is THAT kind “IRL.” At the airport! Bombarded by an annoying fangirl! He was on his way to a Paul McCartney concert with his son). I’m sure I made a babbling fool of myself. But truly, his mission has changed the trajectory of my life and I am indebted. My favorite pair of earrings I own are these auburn/garnet dangly crosses I purchased from the store on site, handcrafted by one of the residents. Every time I receive a compliment on them (which happens to be every time I wear them), it is an opportunity to tell a stranger about Community First! and Alan’s story. If you’re ever driving south towards Austin-Bergstrom airport, make a quick stop at the village…even if it’s just for a loop around the neighborhood. I promise, you won’t regret it.
December 19, 2017
I liked this book. It was a good read and a different yet wonderful perspective on the cause of homelessness vs the stereotypical homeless person that exists in our minds. The stories he included are heart-wrenching yet help you see that any of us could be homeless. And what does homeless really mean? There are some of us who are so rich and have a lot of stuff but are homeless. I loved this reframing of my mind. However, I find Alan a little like Francis Chan in that his amazing passion seemed to shame me (or others) for not living exactly as he's described. I'm not sure if that was his intention and regardless, I love his passion and devotion to doing what the Lord has called him to do. And I LOVE Community First! Village. It is an amazingly beautiful property and the residents we worked with there warmed our hearts. Thank you, Alan, for listening to God's plan and deciding to do it regardless of whether you felt equipped or not.
January 20, 2019
I loved this book. Houston Flake's story in particular stuck with me. This book is a good read and makes you want to treat others with the upmost kindness and really hits the nail on the head about homelessness, hopelessness, and homecoming/homemaking. In order to heal others they need to feel they have a "home" and "home" meaning people who love them. A family.
Of course there were parts of the book I did not agree on but almost all of it I was championing this book and its message. It made references to biblical text and the similarities between the homeless and Christ himself really opened my eyes to the reality of the love of Jesus and the meaning of being a Christian.
I checked this book out from the library on a whim but I will be purchasing my own copy and underlining/highlighting/note making the crap out of it.
Of course there were parts of the book I did not agree on but almost all of it I was championing this book and its message. It made references to biblical text and the similarities between the homeless and Christ himself really opened my eyes to the reality of the love of Jesus and the meaning of being a Christian.
I checked this book out from the library on a whim but I will be purchasing my own copy and underlining/highlighting/note making the crap out of it.
October 17, 2024
4.5
This is everything I could have asked for in a book in a memoir about serving the homeless.
Graham is thoroughly humble and likeable. He has a clear voice and a compelling story. But best of all he spends most of the book talking about the interesting people he has met along the way. Graham has a generous way of seeing the image of God plastered all over the people he describes, but more than that he highlights the common grace and godly traits of people many of us could hardly stand to be around.
This book will be challenging and refreshing. Working with people with such great needs requires some toughness and some of that saltiness comes through. But its hard not to see people a little more like Christ sees them after this conversation with Alan Graham.
Everyone should read this.
This is everything I could have asked for in a book in a memoir about serving the homeless.
Graham is thoroughly humble and likeable. He has a clear voice and a compelling story. But best of all he spends most of the book talking about the interesting people he has met along the way. Graham has a generous way of seeing the image of God plastered all over the people he describes, but more than that he highlights the common grace and godly traits of people many of us could hardly stand to be around.
This book will be challenging and refreshing. Working with people with such great needs requires some toughness and some of that saltiness comes through. But its hard not to see people a little more like Christ sees them after this conversation with Alan Graham.
Everyone should read this.
September 4, 2017
I found Alan Graham's story to be extremely powerful. The first chapter is about how he got involved helping the homeless. Each of the subsequent chapters is the story of one of the homeless people who made an impact on him. The profound message is that each of these people were hopeless and emotionally homeless far before they were physically homeless. Most of them went through unspeakable trauma and hardship. Ultimately solving the homeless social challenge is not about providing food and a cot - it's about providing a sense of community, love, a sense of belonging, and acceptance. Ultimately through Alan's Mobile Loaves and Fishes non-profit, he truly found home for himself as God defined it: a life of community and true relationships free from the material rat race.
August 23, 2018
Alan Graham is a master storyteller detailing the journey of homelessness with respect, empathy and compassion. The book describes his own shortcomings and how he parlays those with humility into nothing short of a life-changing ministry called Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Community First!
His chronicles, appropriate for all ages, are a critical component in understanding the homelessness puzzle; moreover, through the “Gospel Con Carne” and his inspirational relationship with God, he shines a bright light on how we each need to feel a sense of belonging…thus discovering the real meaning of “home.”
His chronicles, appropriate for all ages, are a critical component in understanding the homelessness puzzle; moreover, through the “Gospel Con Carne” and his inspirational relationship with God, he shines a bright light on how we each need to feel a sense of belonging…thus discovering the real meaning of “home.”
February 20, 2025
Inspiring!
Occasionally feels a little dated and idealistic when homeless populations have exploded and look different than they did in 2017.
Doesn't take away from the main point: being on earth is about home making. Being on heaven is homecoming.
If this doesn't inspire you to build a community of your own, it will at least inspire to look at folks a little closer, huge your family a little tighter, and say an extra prayer of gratitude.
Graham eloquently narrates the difficulties of those facing homelessness without it being trauma porn or seeming to take advantage of the stories. He is a graceful storyteller.
Occasionally feels a little dated and idealistic when homeless populations have exploded and look different than they did in 2017.
Doesn't take away from the main point: being on earth is about home making. Being on heaven is homecoming.
If this doesn't inspire you to build a community of your own, it will at least inspire to look at folks a little closer, huge your family a little tighter, and say an extra prayer of gratitude.
Graham eloquently narrates the difficulties of those facing homelessness without it being trauma porn or seeming to take advantage of the stories. He is a graceful storyteller.
April 14, 2018
It’s Outstanding
It’s a very well written book, accessible and not only do we learn about people’s lives - and why they may be in the position they’re in - we learn about Christianity itself. So many lightbulbs went off for while reading this book. We overthink our own situations. We overthink poverty alleviation. The solutions are right in front of our eyes, and have been written down for thousands of years. Yet, we still seek the silver bullet.
It’s a gem, you will enjoy it.
It’s a very well written book, accessible and not only do we learn about people’s lives - and why they may be in the position they’re in - we learn about Christianity itself. So many lightbulbs went off for while reading this book. We overthink our own situations. We overthink poverty alleviation. The solutions are right in front of our eyes, and have been written down for thousands of years. Yet, we still seek the silver bullet.
It’s a gem, you will enjoy it.
November 14, 2019
3.5 stars - Each chapter in this book is built around an individual's story, individuals the author encountered as he moved into a second career/ministry of serving the homeless population in Austin. I appreciated how often he lifted up the mission approach of relationships, challenging the readers to get to know homeless people in order to truly help them. No easy answers, and this book has little to nothing to say about public policy regarding how to help the homeless, but this book is a starting point to building your understanding.
March 13, 2022
4.5* What an inspiring story of what it means to love one another. And a fine example of the difference that just a few motivated people can make in the lives of those around them. From the mobile food trucks to the new Community First! planned communities, I love everything about this charity. Everything is well-planned out and well-thought through (providing choice and dignity to the homeless every step of the way). Highly recommend watching the video of the new planned community as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ife7W...
May 2, 2019
It was so wonderful to see a book about faith, community, and social justice that really got it and let people be people and loved anyway. I found this book to be refreshingly real and the people described to be written with such love. I was shocked in the most pleasant way to see a trans woman highlighted for her compassion and not just tokenized/demonized. One of the best books I've read from the Christian community in a very long time.
November 4, 2019
Human beings need community and relationships to realize their full potential. It requires sincere and open interaction between the spectrum of folks on this earth.
Heavily laced with biblical reference, this book proposes that the solution to homelessness is more about building relationships and family, than it is about providing physical dwellings. For a builder it is a very different perspective, requiring people to care in actions about others.
Heavily laced with biblical reference, this book proposes that the solution to homelessness is more about building relationships and family, than it is about providing physical dwellings. For a builder it is a very different perspective, requiring people to care in actions about others.
September 15, 2022
I enjoyed this but had some missed expectations.
I picked this up after volunteering at Mobile Loaves & Fishes in ATX.
I expected this to be more so Alan Graham’s strategy on the pangs on homelessness and it was more so an empathy builder through story telling — still fantastic! Perhaps (and most likely) the empathy approach is more valuable — makes me more uncomfortable than walking through strategy and policy.
I picked this up after volunteering at Mobile Loaves & Fishes in ATX.
I expected this to be more so Alan Graham’s strategy on the pangs on homelessness and it was more so an empathy builder through story telling — still fantastic! Perhaps (and most likely) the empathy approach is more valuable — makes me more uncomfortable than walking through strategy and policy.
May 7, 2017
This Is written by an Austin man who gives so much to those in need. His Mobile Loaves and Fishes program and Community First Village are both amazing. This book will remind you of our responsibility to give our time, talent and treasure to those in need. The stories are enlightening, and Graham's love for mankind is very special indeed.
June 18, 2018
This is a humbling, thought-provoking book about homelessness and the way we serve and love those who have less.... Eye-opening and convicting, this book is real and straightforward, but it is also inspiring. Thankful for this man and his perspective; especially pertinent because this is an Austin-based ministry and mission. It is meaty stuff that is well worth reading.
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