My name is Irving Jones and I honestly have to say that my whole Hope Cooperative experience has been life changing. Seven years ago I was running the streets, homeless, living in abandoned apartments, selling and stealing what I could for dope and alcohol. At a certain point I thought I would come to Sacramento just to die. I went to jail for the very last time in my life, I figured out there was something else better for me out there. So what I did the very last time I got out of jail, I was triaged at The Guest House and put on a list for Carol’s place. I graduated from there in about 1 ½ months and was admitted into Palmer which is a wonderful program. They gave you something to look forward to which was housing which I didn’t have. They made you feel like somebody, they cleaned you up dusted you off and made you feel human again. I owe so much to the people of Hope Cooperative but I have to say that God is great and God is good because God put Hope Cooperative and its people in my path. And right now I have to tell you I am a student; I will be graduating with an Associate’s Degree from Sacramento City College in Business Administration and Management. Math is my toughest class at this point but I know I am going to do it. I know I will do it, you see the program at Hope Cooperative teaches you to say “ I will”, not “I can’t “ or “I’ll try” but “I WILL”!
Irving’s Story
