Brandon

Brandon is an outstanding exemplar of resilience. His young life had been rife with grief and adversity including episodic and chronic homelessness and living out of shelters with his mother. From the experience of overwhelming hopelessness as a teenager, being expelled from school for struggling to adhere to attendance rules, to growing up without a father, only to reconcile shortly before his father’s death.

Despite these traumas, Brandon is quick to state that his “life has been a true reflection of God’s grace and mightiness” and that “every day is a day I consider breathing a blessing; another opportunity to make the most out of my situation.”

With this spirit, Brandon has overcome each and every adversity, and with Step Onward’s assistance, graduated from college in Iowa where he played football, continued to give back to the community as a football coach and volunteer for Hope for Youth, and in 2024 became an ordained minister.