Gospel Con Carne

On this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan sits down with our neighbor and friend, Jordan. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Jordan’s story is one of quiet strength and deep faith. After facing a series of life-altering events—including a hurricane in Florida, a flood in Colorado, and a devastating house fire—Jordan and his mom found themselves living out of their car in Lakeway for over a year. It was during this difficult season that a local church connected them with Community First! Village. In October of 2024, Jordan and his mom moved into side-by-side microhomes in the Village and began to rebuild their lives. Jordan has found healing and routine through working in our Genesis Gardens, where growing food and cooking have become a source of both therapy and joy. Though he has experienced fractured family relationships, Jordan remains grounded in faith—living by the belief that even when we feel powerless, God is always present and redemption is drawing near. Jordan’s journey is a powerful reminder that

On this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan sits down with our neighbor and friend, DeLori. With a life shaped by both hardship and incredible resilience, DeLori shares her journey of transformation—one marked by early struggles and a spirit of survival. Growing up in an abusive home where drugs and alcohol were part of daily life, DeLori ran away when she was only nine years old. Throughout her life, she found strength in unexpected places—from the people who helped raise her on the streets to the deep connection she still holds with her father. Now a proud mom of seven and over a year into her longest period of sobriety, DeLori is embracing a new season of life. Thanks to the support of Integral Care, DeLori made her way to Community First! Village in 2024 where she says she has found purpose and healing. She earns a dignified income providing house cleaning services at our Community Inn, lends a hand to her neighbors around the Village whenever she can and continues to rebuild relationships with

On this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan sits down with our friend and neighbor, Justin! Originally from Houston, Justin later made his way to Austin where he found support from a family friend as he navigated life in a new city. After experiencing some bumps along the way, Justin made his way home to Community First! Village in 2021 and has embraced a new chapter of life—one marked by growth, gratitude and deep connection. Though he once faced homelessness and time in jail, today Justin is known for his welcoming spirit, green thumb and genuine friendships with everyone around him. Whether he’s giving tours to volunteers, tending to his yard or earning a dignified income through one of Mobile Loaves & Fishes' various teams, Justin lives with purpose, believing that God has restored what was once lost in his life. For Justin, the Village isn’t just home—it’s where he plans to stay forever, surrounded by a forged family and grounded in the belief that healing begins when we take care of oursel

Join Alan on an emotional episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast as he sits down with our Community First! Village neighbor, Kim. Originally from Oklahoma, Kim made her way to Austin through Child Protective Services and spent years in foster care and group homes before being adopted. Her parents strived to never give up on her, even as she struggled to let people into her life. Kim encountered homelessness after leaving home when she was 17-years-old, and by the time she was 19 eventually had become a young mother. Kim worked hard to create a stable life, and even ended up managing a rooftop bar at one point. Despite a series of setbacks, she remained full of love and care for those around her. And then Community First! Village came along—something Kim firmly believes was God's timing at work! Nowadays she spends her time tending to the gardens and helping to prepare homes in the Village for move-ins—something she loves because it allows her to welcome new neighbors with dignity and love.

The Gospel Con Carne podcast is back! Join us this season as Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ Founder & CEO, Alan Graham, and his guests tell the untold stories of individuals who have encountered homelessness. We are excited to kick off this season talking with Honey, one of Alan’s neighbors who lives in Community First! Village. Honey grew up in a broken home and transitioned into foster care when she was 16. After getting married and having three children, new struggles began to emerge in her life. The combination of divorce, remarriage, losing her home and severe health problems ultimately left Honey in a position of living out of her car with her husband at the time. She eventually found her way home to Community First! Village in 2018, but admits she was still dealing with several bumps in the road. It wasn’t until recently that Honey was encouraged by our Art House team to pursue her creative skills. Since then, she has been thriving with jewelry making and is also tapping into new creative outlets tha

Join us for our final Gospel Con Carne podcast episode of the season as Alan sits down with our friend and neighbor, Cecile! Originally from Dallas, Cecile and her siblings were raised in a loving home by her parents until they later separated. After graduating high school, Cecile worked in the restaurant industry for a number of years, followed by decades-long work in accounting. She eventually moved to Austin in 2000, but unfortunately found herself homeless after the Covid pandemic hit. Thanks to a local homeless outreach program, Cecile moved into her very first furnished home in Community First! Village in June of 2022. Known around the Village for her loyalty, dependability and optimistic spirit, Cecile has a sociable nature that brings her close to her fellow neighbors. Additionally, thanks to her work with the neighborhood's Property Beautification team, she’s able to use her green thumb to tap into her passion for gardening and plants. Cecile is a devoted mother of two daughters and a loving grandmot

Joining our host, Alan Graham, on this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast is our neighbor, Nick! Originally born in Kenya, Nick’s mom moved him and his sister to the United States when he was just nine years old. After spending his childhood in Georgia, Nick enrolled in the Army directly out of high school and served for six years. In 2014, Nick's job brought him to Austin where he had a stable income and housing. However, when the covid pandemic hit, he lost his job and had to live off of his savings. After constant searching, Nick was unsuccessful with finding another job, his savings ran low, and he and his mother were forced to vacate their apartment. Nick eventually found himself in a position that he never thought was possible—being homeless on the streets of Austin. After a couple of years living in survival mode, he and his mother found their place of permanence and belonging in Community First! Village in March of this year. Now living just across the street from each other, Nick and his mother

On our newest episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan is joined by our friend and neighbor, Bennie! Born and raised in Austin, Bennie learned early on what it looked like to care for others while growing up in a two-bedroom home with eight siblings. His parents, who were functioning alcoholics, took care of his family well despite being poor. With the integration of Austin happening during most of Bennie’s upbringing, he was often bused to and from school. He says this experience, coupled with growing up in the projects of the city, ultimately resulted in a lifestyle involving drugs. Following a broken marriage years later, Bennie wound up on the streets of Austin and disconnected from his family. Despite the loss he experienced, Bennie moved into his forever home in Community First! Village seven years ago and now considers many people around the neighborhood his family. On top of always helping out his neighbors, Bennie is often seen with a big smile on his face, doing his best to spread happiness all

Joining our host, Alan Graham, on this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast is our neighbor, Cathy! Growing up in Freeport, Texas, Cathy experienced chronic homelessness from a young age alongside her mother and siblings. Often moving from place to place her whole life, Cathy says she doesn't feel like she had her first real home until she moved into Community First! Village in April of 2023. However, the road to finding her home in the Village didn't come easy. Cathy fell into the trap of addiction, just like other members of her family, until she began living in her car and finding the space she needed to get clean. Since moving to the Village, Cathy has been able to pursue her lifelong dream of being able to take care of herself and finds joy in the mundane, even something that may feel small, like paying her own bills. 

On this week’s episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan is joined by our neighbor and friend, Bernadette! Originally from New York, Bernadette grew up in an orphanage but was eventually adopted and had a great upbringing as an only child. Throughout her life, Bernadette became a hard worker within the entertainment industry which led to her passion for concerts and even renaissance fairs! Unfortunately, with the passing of her father came a reliance on drugs, and this eventually led to Bernadette becoming homeless. Later on she also lost her partner, which is when Bernadette says she realized she needed to stop her drug use. Today she proudly shares that she has been clean for eight years! After moving home to Community First! Village in 2018, Bernadette now feels like she’s in a safe place where she knows she’s loved and respected by those around her. 

On our newest episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan is joined by our friend and Community First! Village neighbor, Jimmy! Growing up in Queens, New York, Jimmy says he never really felt at home until he moved to Austin in 1982 to go to college. Despite having distant relationships with his immediate family growing up, Jimmy had the chance to reconnect with his dad after moving to Austin. During this time, they were able to rekindle their bond until his dad eventually passed away. Years later, Jimmy's wife passed away, which was followed by the hard hit of the Covid pandemic. Despite having a strong and consistent work ethic, Jimmy soon found himself homeless. Thankfully, with the help of a local church, Jimmy was able to quickly move into his forever home in Community First! Village in September of 2021. Not only does he work with our Property Beautification team on a daily basis, Jimmy also strives to be a good friend to his fellow neighbors by preaching love, finding the goodness in everyone and enc

Join Alan on an emotional episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast as he sits down with our neighbor Linda. In addition to learning more about Linda's story, you'll hear from one of our Mobile Loaves & Fishes' staff members, Frazel, who works directly with Linda in our Community Inn! Linda grew up in Louisiana with six siblings, later moving to several locations in Houston, and ultimately ending up in Austin. After spending time homeless, while living at a park in Austin, Linda met her case manager who was able to introduce her to Community First! Village. Linda moved home to the Village at the beginning of this year and feels that her experience has been life changing. She has a passion for cooking for herself and her fellow neighbors as a way of spreading joy and lending a helping hand to others. Linda is also a consistent worker at our Community Inn where she has built a beautiful relationship with Frazel, the Community Inn coordinator. More than finding a home and work, Linda is grateful that she has f

On this week’s episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan is joined by our neighbor and friend, John! Growing up on the beaches of Florida, John’s childhood was filled with love, surrounded by his mom, stepdad and two brothers. John later attended college in Arizona where he was able to reconnect with his biological father, working to create a relationship even as his dad struggled with alcoholism. John eventually entered a season of his life where many of his family members passed away, causing a breakdown in his marriage which led to divorce. This series of tragedies pushed John to leave his current surroundings and bike across the United States, working day jobs to make a living. When finding day jobs during the covid pandemic became virtually impossible, John began living on the streets of Austin. Since moving to Community First! Village in the fall of 2022, John has reconnected with his daughter and works consistently with our on-site janitorial team. While building relationships with his neighbors li

On our newest episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, we are joined by our neighbor and friend, Tuana! Originally from Louisiana, Tuana grew up with her mom and two brothers. She says her mom’s drug problem forced the family to move around quite a bit, which left her to become involved with the wrong crowds from an early age. The pain Tuana experienced from the people she was left surrounded by led to her own drug use and ultimately left her in a state of living in her car. Thankfully, Tuana was connected to Community First! Village a year ago through our friends at Sunrise Church in Austin, and she has found immense peace since moving to the neighborhood. On any given day you will find Tuana tending to vegetables in the Village's aquaponics greenhouse or possibly driving her neighbors around the community on our Gus Bus. She's also a community builder! Since moving in, Tuana has discovered her gift of bringing the community together through cooking, which helps to create a safe and loving space for her fell

Joining our host, Alan Graham, on this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast is our neighbor, Orion! Growing up in a small Texas town, Orion had a simple, old-fashioned life and knew what good hospitality looked like. However, what he thought was considered a "normal" family dynamic ended up causing him trouble in the years to follow. With a family history of alcoholism and other unfortunate circumstances, Orion ultimately became homeless around the age of 18. When Orion later found himself in prison, he met some of the most spirit-filled people, which began his journey toward a relationship with Christ. While continuing to pursue a relationship with the Lord was never easy, Orion was put in situations and met people who helped him form the strong relationship he has with Christ today. Since moving home to Community First! Village in early 2023, Orion continues to shed light and love for the Lord through his interactions with his neighbors and others he encounters. He also regularly reminds those around him

On this episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, we are joined by not one, but two Alan’s! Joining our host, Alan Graham, is his friend and neighbor, Alan, who moved home to Community First! Village in December of 2019. Adopted as a baby, Alan built close relationships with his adoptive parents and fondly remembers his childhood growing up in north Austin. His life took a turn when he began using drugs as a young teenager, which led to a spiral that ultimately left him homeless. Since moving to Community First! Village, Alan has heavily relied on a Twelve Steps path of recovery for himself, while making amends with others in the process. Alan continues to improve on these steps every day and the work he's put in is reflective in his relationships with other neighbors and his deep desire to live servant-heartedly. While following the Twelve Steps has transformed Alan's life, he has found the most freeing part of the process to be the mending of relationships and rebuilding of the community that he lost along t

The Gospel Con Carne podcast is back! Join us this season as Mobile Loaves & Fishes' Founder & CEO, Alan Graham, and his guests tell the untold stories of individuals who have encountered homelessness. We are excited to kick off this season talking with Justin, one of Alan's neighbors in Community First! Village. Hear how Justin's family history of alcoholism ultimately took root in his own life, resulting in plenty of challenges along the way. Justin eventually found himself living a nomadic life out of his car, often hopping around different state parks or campgrounds. Since moving to Community First! Village in 2022, Justin has been able to find healing, both physically and emotionally, and now works on-site in the Village while building meaningful relationships with his neighbors. Through the ups and downs of his journey, Justin embodies what it means to just keep on going—because you never know what good things may lie ahead. 

There are only a handful of people who have been with Mobile Loaves & Fishes since its very first day 25 years ago, and Alan's guest on this season finale of the Gospel Con Carne is undeniably one of them! Alan is joined by his daughter and Mobile Loaves & Fishes' Director of Community Empowerment, Taylor Graham, for this 25th anniversary special edition episode. You may be surprised to learn that being part of the family business wasn't always in Taylor's plan. Hear Mobile Loaves & Fishes stories from Taylor's perspective, and each of their reflections from their recent six-week journey in Spain on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Whether it's serving our homeless neighbors over the past quarter century or walking 500 miles across Spain, Alan and Taylor agree there is one key takeaway found in each of these unique journeys: keep putting one foot in front of the other.

In this special episode of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, your host Alan Graham sits down with Brian Walsh, an author of one of Alan's favorite books, “Beyond Homelessness: Christian Faith in a Culture of Displacement.” When asked about the inspiration behind Community First! Village, Alan frequently references Beyond Homelessness as a book that helped him gain a rich understanding of the true meaning of home. Alan also often explains how Mobile Loaves & Fishes intentionally uses this framework of home in the design of the Village. This year, on the book's 15th anniversary, Brian and his co-author, Steven Bouma-Prediger, have launched a new edition that includes a postscript in which they discuss the evolution of their ideas and share true stories of home and community built anew.

In this special edition of the Gospel Con Carne podcast, Alan is joined by two community-driven individuals who we consider part of the Mobile Loaves & Fishes family. Sherwynn Patton is an MLF Board member and one of the founders of Life Anew, which practices restorative justice in Community First! Village. Joe Bland is the leader behind Joe Bland Construction, a family-owned business whose team has handled the infrastructure development of the Village. On Monday, August 28th, at 9:00am on the south steps of the Texas Capitol, the entire community is invited to honor 60 years since Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Tune in to hear more details from Sherwynn and Joe about the event and its relevance to this day, as we are reminded of a concept introduced to us by Jesus Christ—to invite people from all walks of life to the banquet table as we love and care for our fellow neighbors.