What to Know
- Dallas Life graduated 19 people from its Homeless No More program Monday morning.
- Homeless No More is an intense 10-month program in which participants go through counseling, get jobs and find housing in order to graduate.
- Dallas Life says the program has a 90 percent graduation rate.
People packed Dallas Life Monday morning as the notes of "Pomp and Circumstance" filled the chapel.
"I was out of options," graduate Christopher Bryant told the crowd. "But I needed more than just a place to stay. I needed God."
Bryant was one of 19 people who graduated from the "Homeless No More" program Monday morning. It's an intense 10-month program in which participants go through counseling, get jobs and find housing in order to graduate.
"I've had two graduations before this," Bryant said, referring to high school and tech school. "This ranks the highest because I had more to lose."
Dallas Life said it has a 90 percent graduation rate, with more than 100 graduates a year from its program, which is now franchised for other homeless shelters to use. Some of the graduates are senior citizens or disabled.
"This day is all about you," Rev. Bob Sweeney told graduates. "You have to go out there and do the right thing."
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The program is meant to get the homeless off the streets and get them integrated back into society.
"We've burned all of our bridges. We're trying to rebuild with our families. So if we didn't have this place, we literally would be on the street," said Rusty Bowin, a phase 3 student who hopes to graduate in August. "It makes me excited because I'm actually going to finish something for once."
