Former homeless man helps homeless people through non-profit organization

Austin, Texas – Anthony Jackson has experienced homelessness.

Early in his adult life, Anthony lived in his car as he graduated from college.

“Maybe two years out of this, I would have been outside if it wasn’t for Mom Sonia, who opened her house for me and let me sleep in the living room. All of her rooms were full because she had her own kids,” says Jackson.

She let him stay with her for about a year. “I opened my doors because my mother was like that. They are with their children, which I have now. It’s because of my mom,” says Sonia Johnson.

“She is my second mother. So my mom is number two on my phone,” says Jackson.

Anthony now runs We Can Now, a non-profit organization to help those facing homelessness, and lends a helping hand. We Can Now serves communities in many ways, from providing the homeless with essentials such as water, food, fruit, hygiene and more.

We Can Now has a department that will help criminals find opportunities to work in the community, which will help them get a fair chance, as well as the second chance in life that we all so deserve.

“And when I went through my experience, we had no resources other than the Salvation Army,” says Jackson.

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Anthony knew he wanted more.

“We have a youth program in the Major Crime Program, and with the distraction that happens on the site, there is another program that we have where, if you have a job and a steady income, we can help you get distracted. You have to be placed in a house or apartment,” says Shakendra Jackson of We Can Now.

Over the years, We Can Now has helped a large number of the homeless in Travis County, including mom Sonia, who became homeless in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic after she lost her job.

We Can Now managed to recruit Sonya’s mother into a sabotage program where they were able to get her into her own apartment.

“I was just stunned, like now, like now, I have tears in my eyes; I really appreciate it,” says Johnson.

Anthony says it’s like a vicious circle where he can help Mom Sonya just like she did years later.

To learn more about We Can Now, click here.