Flowers on the front porch, a vegetable garden, and the same bed every night are some of the simple things in life that most of us enjoy. These aren't things George Knox thought about for the majority of his life, but now he can. For most of his life, George struggled with homelessness brought on by years of mental health issues and substance abuse. He was in and out of emergency shelters, boy's homes and often lived on the streets, never having a stable home.

Living wasn't easy for George, and he struggled to see a future for himself. Despair crept into his life and lead him down tragic paths that one day included an attempt to take his own life by jumping off of a 50-foot bridge. Fortunately for George, there were people who cared. A family member had heard about the services provided by the Mission of Hope and made the call that would ultimately change George's life. He entered the emergency shelter, where he received comprehensive counseling, safe shelter and nutritious food. He worked with his case manager and learned that he was qualified to receive help from Social Security. He was able to move into a transitional housing unit, also in the Mission of Hope, where he continued to work towards obtaining mental health services and attended 12-Step recovery meetings. George often played his guitar and painted on canvas to express his feelings.

Now, George has moved into Mission of Hope's Permanent Housing Program. He obtained SSDI benefits and has been living in the same house for three and a half years. George has recently battled physical ailments, but today he is healthy, happy and has a home with flowers on the front porch.

The Mission of Hope in Stillwater is one of the programs of the Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency.