I've been homeless over 10

years.

It's very dangerous out on the

street.

You never know who's behind

you.

You never know who's going to

hurt you for the little

possessions that you have.

Camden City is where the

majority of the homeless

population is.

It's really sad to see people

in this state.

You've got pimps,

you've got addicts,

prostitutes.

These streets of Camden,

they'll eat you alive

I work for IHOC,

the Interfaith Homeless

Outreach Council.

We assist men that are

homeless get off the streets

and put them on the right road

to being successful

individuals.

I don't want to use it as an

excuse but I don't trust

anyone.

It's hard for me to express

myself.

Okay.

We have churches from a

variety of faiths.

They committed to providing

shelter and food and support

for ten men.

It comes together to form the

28 weeks of the program.

We have one synagogue that's

involved.

Mike was very determined to

really make an effort.

I was tired of getting high.

I decided I'm ready to change

my life.

I felt like I hit my bottom

when I started doing

robberies,

I did fifteen years in prison.

I've stolen money,

I've stolen cars to get high

and just to continue to live

the life of destruction.

I overdosed twice within the 3

months.

I have a son that is ten years

old.

He is a very good kid in

school and he is just the joy

of my life.

Last time I saw my son was two

years ago.

He needs me out there.

For Big Bill,

once he had a stable place to

stay,

then he started paying

attention to his physical and

spiritual health.

I lost my house and I had

nowhere to go as far as

anywhere to sleep.

It's probably the hardest

thing in the world trying to

find a safe place to lay your

head.

Just trying to survive.

That's the part that scares

you.

You have a chance at life one

more time again.

Believe me, being homeless,

and this opportunity here,

you want it.

It's exciting.

Hi, this is Sonya Jacobs....

We really have been building

Mr. Shipp since we got him

just trying to put it all

together.

Something Sonya is working on

is trying to find my family

and tell them I am alright.

They either think I am locked

up or dead.

I was ten,

eleven years old when I

started drinking.

My father,

he hit us sometimes.

Mostly my mother.

When he got drunk,

he was very violent.

We come from school,

she was in her room crying,

we know what happened.

I went to jail for 25 years.

Everything went downhill for

me.

Mike Webb, he was very quiet.

He was apprehensive about

giving me certain information.

Sonya saw something in me I

don't see in myself.

She has belief in me so I have

to believe as well.

The day my grandmother died.

That is probably when I lost

faith in humanity and God.

The drug I was using was

heroin.

I had to be saved four times

in the past year.

It's an everyday fight with

the demons.

Cravings,

they're going to come,

and you can't pray them away

because it's a part of your

brain.

If you put 10 individuals in a

recovery program typically

only one of them is going to

make it.

The first 10 weeks is really

intensive because they're

trying to adjust to not using

drugs.

We ask that they not contact

family members.

We take their phones and they

have to attend AA and/or NA

five days a week.

They separate the men from the

boys.

That's for sure.

In the beginning,

you all thought it was going

to be a long time and ten

weeks is gone.

Right now there's ten of us

sitting around,

but in war as we all know

there are casualties.

I'm just warning everybody to

be on guard.

Don't put yourselves in

places,

don't connect with people that

are going to take you down the

wrong path.

How did you feel when you were

out there?

Free

Okay, he said he felt free.

It was a little challenging

because you're on your own.

Walking past the old places...

people, places, and things.

You don't forget that you used

to be there at one point in

time.

They will be back here for two

weeks.

Then they'll go to the next

place.

This is their first paycheck.

The goal is for them to save

as much as they can to go

towards their security deposit

and their first month's rent.

It feels great.

It mustn't feel great because

you've got to give it to me.

But I earned It honestly,

that's the most fulfilling

part.

I am so happy I get to give my

check over just so I can

maintain the responsibility.

I just got to relearn to be an

adult.

I don't know when the last

time I had 50 dollars without

spending it.

So that's a very big

accomplishment on my part.

Thursday evening,

I got a call from the drug and

alcohol counselor and he

stated that Mike had not come

into the building.

I tried calling three times

but I left him a message and I

got nothing.