Willie remembers his mom teaching neighborhood kids how to read – and as the reason they went back to school. “When I was growing up in Greenwood, Mississippi, kids missed a lot of school. One day my mom went to the dollar store and bought books for the kids next door. For the next month she read with them every day.” These memories filled with stories of his mom helping others, Willie said, have taught him to share himself and be a part of community.
Willie has lived at The Jourdain since 2006. He is a volunteer tutor with Hope’s community-literacy program and is part of a community leadership group. He is also an active member of his church and works at the Veterans Administration Hospital.