About

I Love Evelyn is a non profit organization based out of Texarkana, Texas that seeks to reverse the conditions of homelessness through the building of relationships.

In February 2008, we (me, Chad, and my wife Marjorie) decided to quit our jobs and travel to the 60 largest cities in America over the course of a year with no other agenda other than to listen to the hearts of those who are homeless, hurting, and hopeless, and love them as best they could. Spending about a week in each city, we spent time under the overpasses, in the abandoned buildings, and on the street corners with thousands of men and women who call the streets home. Our agenda was simple; to love like Christ and hope that somehow, someway, that would be the beginning to reversing the conditions of homelessness.

Over the course of the year, we started noticing a trend. People weren’t homeless because of addiction, or laziness, or inability to work. More often than not people were homeless as a result of brokenness caused by another person. Women raped by their fathers. Men molested by uncles. Did you know that approximately 65% of homeless men and women in America have been sexually abused? Others had parents who didn’t care, and some had wives that left them for another man. Time and time again we heard stories of brokenness. Women homeless because they had to escape an abusive relationship. Some never knew who their parents were. Others had been homeless since they were 15. Most felt neglected, inadequate, and unworthy. It was these things that led to addiction, and a sort of “spirit” or way of thinking about themselves that is always negative.

So, we started I Love Evleyn in honor of the first homeless woman we ever met (you can read more about her in the ABOUT section of website). Our idea is simple; to build help build a solid foundation so that men, women, and children who are homeless are able to move forward in their lives. We seek to build a Christ centered community; we seek to encourage; to befriend, listen, and love. We believe it’s these things that reverse the origins of homelessness - that brokenness that they once struggled with.

Read more in our vision and mission and day to day!