Crystal Murrieta delivered the following testimonial at Natural Bridges Farm for HGP’s annual Sustain Supper on June 20, 2026 I had a ring once which had a symbol of a compass. The compass was symbolic of the phrase “NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST!” There was a time I thought of life as simple. I laugh thinking of myself at …
When people talk about hope, they often describe it as athing—something you either have or you don’t. But that’s not how Iexperience hope. For me, hope is a verb. It’s something you do. It’s a choice you make, over and over again—especially when theevidence is mixed, or unclear, or even discouraging. So I want to acknowledge something candidly: it may …
What is hope? Answer this question through the story of your life. For a long time, I thought hope was a vague, flickering feeling—something you either had or you didn’t. But through the story of my life, I discovered that hope is actually tangible. There was a time when I was trapped in a relentless cycle of ‘rock bottoms,’ ending …
My name is Manuel Silva. I was born on February 17, 1986 in the Santa Cruz beach flats area. I come from a huge family, 7 brothers and 5 sisters. I am the lucky 13th son, and we all have the same parents. At the tender age of 5, my childhood and innocence was taken from me. I was sexually …
Jenny Kurzweil was a keynote speakers at HGP’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on January 19th, 2026, where she delivered the following speech. Hi everyone. Thank you for being out here today celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s life and legacy of service. I’m really honored to be here at the Homeless Garden Project. I am so grateful …
Abi Mustapha was a keynote speaker at HGP’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on January 19th, 2026. After a day of volunteering in the field, Abi delivered the following address. Dr. King famously said that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. That line has offered comfort to generations of people struggling against injustice. But comfort …
Damien Camany delivered the following testimonial on January 19th, 2026 at HGP’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. I came to the Homeless Garden Project program feeling the weight of unfinished business, in wanting to tie up loose ends. Yes, I had completed rehab and its reentry services. I had spent a lot of time and energy in …
Hello everyone and thank you for coming out to the opening of the new location of the Homeless Garden Project Store! My name is David Perez and I am a paid trainee with the Homeless Garden Project’s Job Training Program. A few years ago, my life was a blur of addiction, depression, and a constant feeling of disconnect and isolation. …
Good evening everyone, My name is Kelli, and I’m a graduate of the Homeless Garden Project. Standing here tonight is something I never imagined I’d do. I’ve been an addict since my early teens, and for ten long years, I was homeless. Drugs controlled my life, and during that time, I lost almost everything — my family, my home, and …
On July 19, 2025 at the Homeless Garden Project’s Sustain Supper at Natural Bridges Farm, program graduates Chris Beresh and Kyle Franks spoke about their experience as graduates of HGP’s transitional employment program. Kyle introduced Chris, reversing roles from their talks in November (available here). Good afternoon and welcome to the homeless garden project farm. My name is Kyle Franks. …
