A Problem and an Ask

Joseph Bruner was the reason we decided to integrate housing into our non-profit, DEUCE Community.

In 2021, He was a rising star in our program, everyone was sure that he’d be successful upon release and take a leadership role at the gym. However, when Joseph was paroled, he was denied housing through another program. He was forced to pay rent in a sober living in South Central. While moving in and changing his bedding, he uncovered a used syringe. The house was basically a front for predatory individuals to collect money from parolees. Drug use and crime were rampant at the house, but Joseph was afraid to tell us about it.

Predictably, he relapsed and returned to prison on a new case. Because of Joseph’s progress and mindset before staying at the sober living, our hypothesis was that if we could replace the environment to which he was paroled, we could change the outcome.

When Joseph was released from prison on his last term, we drove to Central California to pick him up. He was immediately paired with a mentor and given a clean bed. His first night home we threw a dinner celebrating his return.

His transition has not been without its rough spots, but the potential we saw in Joe is manifesting. Less than six months after release, he took over full control of the Breath and Exposure program at DEUCE Gym and is currently poised to take on a paid role as Housing manager for the nonprofit. He just spent Thanksgiving with his children for the first time in 15 years.

Joseph has been to prison 6 times, serving a cumulative 16 1/2 years. He says that he had never known unconditional support until entering the program at DEUCE. He credits this along with the accountability and behavior modeling in our housing program for the success he has had since his last release.

The truth is that housing played a small but PIVOTAL role in Joseph’s transformation. The work was and is his to do. His ownership of that is what has given him a new life with unlimited upside.

In September, due to financial limitations, DEUCE Community Housing was cut in half, making it much harder for us to create a transformational impact in the lives of people like Joseph. 

We are asking for your help to allow those like Joseph to overcome their past and forge a new future. Giving today towards our housing effort makes this possible. 

Read more and give HERE.