Ellington

Every person has a story, including the ones who find themselves hit by a stroke of bad luck that leads them to no longer have a permanent residence. Lucious Walton, a Greenwood, Miss., native who found himself homeless for some time, counts his blessings and considers himself extremely fortunate to now have a place in Jackson to call home.

Walton moved from the Delta to Memphis as a child, where he spent the majority of his life thereafter.

Recently, Walton's only daughter passed away, which coincided with a head injury he sustained from a coworker after an argument. Following the altercation, Walton began experiencing memory issues that prevented him from maintaining his job with the moving company for whom he had been working.

"(My daughter) was living in Durant. I came down to put her to rest. I was in a bad headspace while at the same time coping with what happened," Walton says.

Deciding he needed a change, Walton trekked his way southward to Jackson, a city he had frequented a few times when working as a mover. "I didn't know anyone or have any place to go when I got here," he remembers. At the time, he considered home to be a spot near Fortification Street.

"People don't understand the homeless at first. They wonder how you got in that situation. Once you tell them, they start to understand," Walton says.

While living on the street, the 64-year-old at times worried over his health and safety. "I'm a diabetic. I was always worried about my medication putting me in a deep sleep somewhere," he says. "When you're homeless, one of the big things is safety, making sure you have your stuff with you at all times, which is why you buddy up with someone."

One day, someone told him about Shower Power, a nonprofit organization on Commerce Street that offers free showers and other services to the local homeless community. At first he used the organization for food, clothing and hygiene products.

In time, though, Shower Power selected Walton for its Project Hope program, which works to get people to sponsor a homeless person. For $6,000 a year, the program covers the cost of rent, groceries and other basic needs. Walton moved into his new apartment about two months ago, and he credits Shower Power founder Teresa Renkenberger and board member Mary Ann Kirby for changing his lifestyle.

"They are the best thing that ever happened to me," Walton says. "I like the peace and quiet, although I'm still walking around the house all the time. It's difficult to sit still."

To learn more about Shower Power’s Project Hope program and how to donate, visit showerpower.ms or find the nonprofit on Facebook.