09/02/2026
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“It was worth the wait.” — Mr. Arizona
For 37 years, Mr. Arizona has called Prescott home. For the last 10, he has experienced homelessness.
(We’re calling him Mr. Arizona at his request. He’s a little shy, but he wanted us to share his story.)
For much of that time, he struggled with alcohol use. Mr. Arizona has been coming to CCJ for more than eight years, and there were times when our staff truly feared we might someday receive the devastating news that he had been found deceased.
Then, Mr. Arizona was the victim of a brutal attack that left him with a serious head injury.
“When I went to sleep and woke up just to realize I had lost a whole week of my life, I knew I needed a change.”
And he made one.
Mr. Arizona stopped drinking and began rebuilding his life. He dealt with years of unpaid tickets and court obligations — with his trademark sense of humor:
“I was being punished with community service. Turns out that is just volunteering, and I already do that!” 😂
He paid his fines. He kept showing up. He got to work.
Today, Mr. Arizona holds down two jobs, is approaching two years of sobriety, and after 10 years of homelessness, HE HAS A HOME. 🏡
Mr. Arizona recently moved into CCJ housing, and when we asked him how he felt, he told us:
“It was worth the wait — super happy. I needed help, and you guys were there.”
We are incredibly proud of him.
Mr. Arizona may give CCJ credit for helping him get housed, but we know better. He did the work. We simply made sure he had a place to turn to without judgment and unnecessary barriers.
For eight years, we kept the door open.
And when Mr. Arizona was ready, we were still here.
This is what compassion without judgment looks like.
This is what low-barrier services can do.
And that is why we never give up on people. 💛
Congratulations, Mr. Arizona. You were worth the wait.
