August 19, 2025 • 30 mins
“After being relocated again, Harrisburg’s homeless still have issues despite a new initiative aimed at providing housing and support services for them.” www.amiracle4sure.com
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I am Selby Moss. This is Insight Part two. We're
talking to I don't even know how to say it.
Marcia an incredible woman who has been through total hell.
Some of us only go through one of the things
she has been through. Some of us never face it.
But the whole thing is I'm going to ask Marcia
to continue her story. We left her in jail and
(00:25):
losing her children, and we talked. What I wanted to
talk about to begin with is people that say, get
a job, you just stop the drugs of the alcohol,
just show your doctor. What do you say to them, Marsha,
They don't get it.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
They don't get it.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
You don't understand the trauma that comes with the process
of and the reality of right. It was difficult for
me to stay focused on taking care of myself because
I thought I was supposed to prioritize taking care of
my children.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Because you had no direction, and you came from a
mother and father who passed that sickness, which mental illness.
All these things are you know, sickness onto you. But
tell us what happened. Excuse me, when you were in
jail and the kids, what happened then? And I need
to tell my listeners to this is in this barring story.
(01:25):
If you don't believe in stuff like this, listen to
part one. You'll see how bad things were for Marsha.
So go ahead, Marsha.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
So I got sentenced to one and a half to
five years. Okay, I spent six months in the county
because I was pregnant with my seventh child. I gave
birth to that child shackled and handcuffed to a hospital.
Be it at Lancaster General Hospital.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
How did you get to Lancaster from.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
They transported me from Icee Pastown Prison. It was the
hospital that was closest and able to deliver my child.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
So you had a baby, I had a baby.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Did not take the baby? Oh they didn't, No, ma'am.
I had a friend, my sister.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
My sister came to the hospital and picked up my
baby boy and had taken him.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
One of the things that stood.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Straight at the top of my forehead is to look
at that judge in his face when he said to
me that I was the worst thing of a mother
he's ever seen, Oh my god, and that I would
not be able to have access to my children. That order,
(02:42):
that judge order, is what I carried as I did
the next two and a half years of my life
in prison. You could not call them, you could not
visit with them, you could not write them.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I cut your heart out, your reason.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
For nothing mattered my God.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I held on to the fact that my sister had
my oldest son, Timothy, and that my church friends had
my baby boy, Christian, and I knew that if I
could keep my mind and heal my body, that I
would be able to at least have them to well.
I wasn't ready for what God was ready for me for.
(03:27):
I struggled with getting out of prison, but while in prison,
I took advantage of the opportunity. Using wasn't an option.
I went through programming, I went through parenting, I went
through drug and alcohol program I graduated from that program,
and I stayed clean. Yes, you can relapse in jail
if you want to. But at that point, I believe
(03:50):
that God placed some people in my life in that
prison who saw me when I didn't see myself, who
said to me, what are you doing in here, beautiful?
Why are you here? And I knew that through my
journey with them, that I had a purpose. I got
connected with the church, started singing like a bluebird, and
(04:13):
studying the word of God, and making sure that I
knew and understood why I was in this place and
what I was supposed to do. Not everybody gets that vision,
not everybody gets that opportunity, and not everybody takes it
as seriously as I needed to take it. I came
home in nineteen ninety six, right at the end of it.
(04:37):
I could not get a good home plan. But that
home plan that God had already prepared for me worked
out just fine. I got off the Greyhound bus in Harrisburg,
I stepped my foot down and walked down to North Street,
where I stayed for about a good six months until
I met someone in the twelve step meeting. I knew
(04:59):
that I had a goal, and my goal was to
find stable housing and never to use a drug again.
I needed to focus on those two, those two goals.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
You needed, excuse me, a healthy norm, yes, a different
kind of way, exactly. Excuse me, because what you didn't
have any of that throughout your whole life. Everybody disappointed, you, abused,
you left you down, and the most precious thing in
your life as a mother, I can say that too.
The most precious thing were your children that took you
(05:35):
away from them, which must that must have been a
horrible nightmare. You talked in part one, and I hope
our listeners do listen to part one about how you
were putting a police car and your children were taken
from you. The kids could see what was going on
with you, these little kids and you. That's a lot
of what that was your knock on the head, Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
So when you got to Harrisburg and you were in
a twelve step program, at what point did you decide
to start your nonprofit and why did you do it?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So fast forward to I got involved with children in
youth and I met a very really awesome mental health counselor,
and they emotionally supported me when they said to me, Marshall,
(06:32):
what are your goals and what is it that you
want to do. I found a local church to get
connected to, and so they were praying for me, and
I said, one day, I really was hoping that I
can ask God if he can give me my children back,
And and.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
We all started to.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Stay diligent with Marcia's goals and started praying about that
and started moving things in motion with that. I got
introduced to children and youth services here started visitation, and
once that started to happen, things started to be my
new norm. I started to feel more and better about myself.
(07:19):
That is all that little girl needed. And it was
off to the races from there, right and here we are.
I gave birth to my as if seven children wasn't enough.
I met a young man in Harrisburg and we had
a daughter. And it was through that relationship that I
was looking for a sense of normalcy. Right, And we
(07:43):
dated and got married and found a house everybody's dream,
not a house on the hill. Well maybe I should
take that back.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It was a house on the hill, Allison Hill, Okay.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
And so we got into a normalcy and he had
a job and I was taken care of children, and
I was working with my counselor, and I decided that
I wanted to go back to school. I went to
school to become a social worker. You know, lived experience
is the best experience. I felt as though I wanted
(08:18):
to turn my life around and help others to do
the same through my journey. I went to school, got registered,
graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College right there off Cameron
Street and nineteen ninety nine, they had a collaboration with
Lebanon Valley College.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I got a full ride.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I graduated from Lebanon Call Elebanon Valley College in two
thousand and four with my bachelor's degree in sociology. I
knew what made me tick. I also learned what made
others tick. And out of that I became a substance
abuse counselor a family therapist. And out of that journey
(09:01):
and that exposure to this community in Harrisburg, that led
me to wanting to do more. In twenty ten, just
two years after I graduated from Lebndon Valley College, I
went after my master's. Wow, my master's in public service leadership.
I mean, I believe we can do what it is
(09:22):
that we are called to do if we are focused
on the vision of what God had said it.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
But how could you have been focused when you were
beaten down? Your self esteem was in the toilet, everybody
left you down. You were faced with drug and alcohol abuse,
you were beaten up. You know, it's it's amazing.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
That's called healing. Yeah, when you allow therapy to penetrate.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
But you had all that stuff, so you how could
you take care of your children or live a normal
life when nothing was and your first part of your
life was normal.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I had to create a new norm. Exactly, you have
to create a new norm. And the new norm was
to accept where I came from, but not to allow
that to define where I was going. I knew on
January twenty sixth, nineteen ninety four that God had already
had this all prepared for me. I just didn't see it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Let me ask you this, did your parents practice any
type of religion.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
My father was a Jehovah witness.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Oh that's right, you said.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I believe my mother was a believer. She didn't take
me to church, but I believe she was a believer.
It was different.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
I always found my spiritual journey going and walking into
different faith spaces.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Right. I found a comfortable faith space in Harrisburg.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
You could go home, and I can go home.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
And it was like, every time I thought to think
about going back, it was not an option. So life
continued to go on.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Children started to graduate from high school, the kids doing,
the kids are doing great. Wow.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
I became an empty nester. People laugh at me sometimes.
I became an empty nester at fifty. Wow, today I
sit here at sixty. So for the last ten years,
my children have done what I considered the most amazing thing,
the thing that I prayed for. When my last child
(11:36):
graduated from high school and set off to go to college,
I left that five bedroom, three story house and moved
into a two bedroom a girl.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
But when I birnt a miracle.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
For sure, it was my vision to bring to develop
the services and supports that I wish.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I had had.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
That makes a lot, and I want to believe that
we are still revolving as you know, this new assignment
that I have been given. Yes, we are still evolving.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Well, let me ask you about that you had done
the drug and alcohol counseling. Did they reach out to you? Well,
let me ask you this first. We're talking about the
people that keep on that are homeless, the families and
the individuals that have been moved to different encampments all
over Harrisburg. It's all over the news. So how did
(12:32):
you get involved in it?
Speaker 3 (12:34):
So I've been you know, if you want to be
a part of the solution, you've got to get into
the meetings while talking about the problems, and so I
have been connected to community based organizations coalitions if you will,
small groups, big groups, gathering city, state and local government,
(12:56):
faith based organizations. I went and I sat at the table,
and it is through those conversations and discussions when we
start talking about solutions, when I say I want to serve,
as the Bible says about the least of these, I
want to be able to serve those in need. And
those in need looked like me, and it was important
(13:21):
for me to become that support for them. So a
miracle for sure was birthed in twenty ten. We have
been doing this work for fifteen years. It has grown
to be a service in a safe space for people
to come to be served. We are located at seventeen
thirty five State Street. We sent right on the corner
(13:42):
of eighteenth in State where we provide services and supports
to all. Anyone can walk into our office and ask
for help and we help them. No one has ever
paid for services at our organization. No one has ever
paid for services.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Where do you offer them?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
So we provide case management, support, mentoring, guidance, direction, direction.
We meet people where they are. We meet them by
their needs and their vision of where they want to
see themselves. And I think that is something that we
struggle with some days in this community, and that is
(14:25):
wanting to fix somebody, wanting to take someone out of
their brokenness and just throw them into a good life.
It's just not that simple. But we have the privilege
to have had lived experience. My children knows what it's
like to be homeless. They knew what it was like
to be hungry, they knew what it was like to
(14:46):
be children of addicted parents. It is through our lived
experience that we serve. I am blessed to serve alongside
of my children, who I believe, believe in the world
that we do so we help people, We meet them
where they're at. Three years ago, there was a need
for the unhoused community to take showers.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yes, we welcomed them intor our office.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Did they all come? No?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Did they all come?
Speaker 1 (15:15):
No?
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Some did, though enough did.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
On any given day Monday, Wednesday and Friday, a good
fifteen to twenty people walk into the office to take
a shower and get their laundry done.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Have you had an opportunity to talk to a good
number of them.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yes, those are my family.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Well, what is there a comminator, denominator or around among
all of them that you've spoken to. So, yes, mental health, Okay,
they realized they have an.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Issue, financial problems where there was no solution when you
go to an agency and you get financial support and
you're not able to go back to that agency because
you've been served already.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
So there aren't enough services, repetitive services.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Yes, ma'am wow, and not enough resources, not enough financial resources.
And currently at the rate we're going the budget, the
budget people have budget guidelines and then the funding doesn't
come to the need. The funding, the least funding goes
(16:22):
to the most need. And that's an area that I
feel that we need to get better with. And that's
not just here in Harrisburg. I'm talking about worldwide. Yes,
social services. They talk about first responders. We are first responders,
but you don't see the money funding into first responders
in that aspect.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
So is there anybody in the state House that support you?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah, plenty of them. I believe you know.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
We've we've walked alongside of Pattikin. She is a doll
and she understands the needs that we are addressing locally.
And I know that we will continue to to work
on addressing the needs.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
From county to County. We have local.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Law enforcement that understand, we have community service workers that understand.
But again, it is not their fault that we have
the problem. They don't have the funding to address the problem.
But together, I think collectively we solve the problem one
person at a time.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
I was hesitant to mention this because I was telling
somewhere yesterday I was going to be talking to you
and about this. What they call the tent is a
tent city, those folks, And they said, some of those
people don't want help. They liked their life the way
it is. Is that true?
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I don't believe that. No, why would somebody like That's right?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
They don't want to move.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
It's difficult to move. It was difficult for us to move.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I hated packing. But let me tell you something. I
moved every year for what seemed like ten years because
my goal was to move us into a better situation,
a better circumstance, a better school district, better housing space.
So no, I don't think it's easy for them to
pack up where they've been for years and take their
(18:17):
belongings and go over to another location.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Where are they now are? And what is today? It's
we're in August, Yeah, we're almost August.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Yeah, so tell me where they are. Some are still
at the current encampment location. Where is that that is
outside of the Pendt area over Independitt area. Others have
some have We started moving individuals into the American Community,
which is located right off of Cameron and Chenoi Street.
(18:54):
We started moving them last Friday and we have about
fifteen families at the new site, beautiful pavilion.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
We have water, food, supportive services.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
They're baby steps and we're not I'm not the one
to go and force anybody. We want for people to
come willingly. An invitation has been sent out. Some people
have accepted the invitation. People want to call it application.
People want to say there's just got too many guidelines.
(19:28):
It's an invitation, And I believe that guidelines help us
prepare ourselves. You say, when we start to look for
our new norm, our new norm comes with a little
bit of guidance.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
And I like we've adjusted.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
We have made adjustments to the guidelines that we put
into place. Why because we are committed to meeting people
where they are.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
This is something that I think is important to talk
about too. Speaking to other social service people in the
community organizations, to help support those that have needs. They
tell me that they're not surprised. It's not the people
that used to come in all the time. It wasn't
(20:14):
the people who were on welfare roles and then their
kids were on or and then you know, it wasn't
that type of thing. There are those people, but it's
starting to turn out that these are people in our
local communities with big shots. Something happens, they lose their job.
That could never see. That's what gets when people point
(20:35):
the finger, yes, that can never happen to me, and
now I'm finding it. I mean I can't and won't.
And they didn't identify people, but they tell me about
different things how they will. Some are well known, some
had good jobs. And another thing that hurts a lot
(20:55):
of these folks that end up on the streets is
that it could be normal family and somebody gets sick
and you don't have insurance because it's too aren't expensive.
It wipes out everything then the whole I mean, where
do you start? And I think, but you do. The
reason you do what you do so well is what
(21:16):
you said. I've always believed and that's why I think
a lot of big companies are starting to put on
their boards of directors, people who've experienced what they are
trying to sell. That's a great I'm glad you're doing it.
How big is your staff? There are eight of us,
eight of you, Yes, ma'am. Okay, what did they do?
(21:37):
Tell me about some of the things they do.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
So currently, we have a contract with the Department of
Corrections and we provide case management supportive services for those
that are leaving our state facilities. In addition to that,
we have regular county supportive services that we provide here locally,
(21:59):
housing assistant, eviction prevention, photo identification, those things that could
prevent you from growing yourself and going to work and
being identifying your new norm.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Right, So we.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Make sure that we assist with getting those pertinent documents
that are needed for them so that they can get themselves.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Back on their feet.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Listen, COVID shook the world upside down, and it says, yesterday,
I was speaking to someone right before COVID. Something happened,
and then COVID hit Yes, and then her mother caught
COVID and passed away.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Where was she supposed to go?
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yeah, that's right?
Speaker 3 (22:45):
How was how was somebody regardless of the situation and
how was somebody supposed to help her? And she went
to the streets and she's been in the streets ever since.
It becomes a norm.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Right. But what we do know is that if we.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Bring and meet people where there and bring those supportive
services in that understanding, that compassion, that empathy to stick
with it.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Though, we need a little bit more of the stick
to itiveness. Right.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
We can't say, oh, well, I can provide this service,
but that's about it, right, That's where we'd leave people suck. No,
we need a holistic approach to how I meet you
today and I see you through to your in all results,
do you find.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
That the service is provided? And say Dolphin County because
you're You're not just in Dauphin County. I have a
list of them, Dolphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, York, Mifflin, Juniana, Franklin, Perry,
Lebanon and all the surrounding areas mine. Because you must
say your car gaspell must be something. But go ahead
tell us about that.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Well, we went where where we went, where the need was.
I started in Douphin County. We went where the need was.
There weren't any services in those areas so we took
them there. When I say use me, lord, I didn't
say that I had a specific geographical location in doing that.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
They always tell you to be specific when you're talking.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
To Now, that wasn't happening.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
So we took those services to those areas and started serving.
And what COVID taught us is that virtually you can
do a lot zoom meetings, face to face meetings, you
can drive down the street. But there's no excuses for
not making services accessible.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
So we do that. We do that with love and care.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
How can you give these services for free? I mean,
how are you funding?
Speaker 2 (24:35):
So we apply for grants?
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Currently the Department of Corrections contract good covers the cost
for the salaries for those working on that assignment. Others
they just show up, particularly the ones that I birthed.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
That is awesome. Okay, what do you need as far
as helping to take care of these people right now
in your community? Said? Somebody delivered stone?
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Listen.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I never I never knew stones cost so much a
lump sum. So we wanted to get started really really quickly.
So we have almost what my son says is bigger
than a football field. So we need to cover that
field with stone. There were big boulder rocks on that property,
and so we've been purchasing stone to just level out
(25:25):
the land so that we can place the stable facilities
for them to live on. We're gonna we don't know
what the winter is going to look like, so we're
trying to stabilize that. So it be helpful, dear listeners,
if someone could assist us with getting the full property
stoned and so that we can utilize that space. We
(25:48):
did say we had a minimum amount of space that
we could use, knowing that there's more people over any
other area, but we need to clear that area. We
need to stone that area, and we need to make
that area available for folks.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
You're also looking for kents, right.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Tents, So we have an Amazon wish list that has
a list of things that we need for each of
the families.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
We need tents.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
We're looking for solar lights, solar fans. We don't know
how far this summer is going to take us into
We have an expecting mother on site.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
We make sure that.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
She's able to stay cool, so she has a solar
fan in her housing unit. So we're looking for those
things that we need. We got volunteers coming in and
bringing meals. Now they have a little bit longer to
walk to get access to services. We partnered with agencies
that are going to come in and bring services to
them so that they can have direct care there. So
(26:47):
I say, give me a call and or come by
and see where we're at. My number is seven one
seven six zero three zero four four to four. Go
to our web site. We have a few things listed
on the website. If you're not able to help in
this work physically, then perhaps you can make a small donation.
(27:09):
There is no such thing as a small small donation,
any donation, and I say this all the time. Your
donation directly impacts the services that we need for these
individuals that we're housing.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
At this Marshall, can you share maybe the most astonishing
story of somebody turning their life around? Does believing in
everything that you talked about finding a norm. It doesn't
have to be be with the folks you're helping now.
But is there a story that blew you away?
Speaker 3 (27:39):
There's stories that blow me away every day. I just
got an email from a young lady and I mean
just got it yesterday, and she says, Miss Marshall, I
saw you on the news, and I got this nudge
that I needed to give you a call, and I
wanted to tell you how much I really appreciated, how
much you have impacted my life. But she came in.
She came straight from prison. She had two child she
(28:00):
needed to get them out of foster care. It was
my story that led her to believe that she could
get them out of foster care. And then she got
them out of foster care, raised those two children as
a home, a house, a husband, and a car.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
All because one day we opened up our doors, gave
her a place to lay her head so she can
get herself to a point of thinking clearly, so that
she didn't have to worry about paying rent or paying
for the bills that weighed her down, dealing with the
addiction that held her hostage. She had that opportunity, and
she just said, thank you. There are hundreds of stories
(28:38):
I can tell you. There are two very particular videos
on my website, and I say go to the gallery
and watch the video and let that tell you the story.
Most importantly, just come have a seat. Let me tell
you a little bit about who we are and what
it is and how we're impacting the community here.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
How you have turned your life around. It's like you
stepped out of this shell or something and you're a
brand new person. Marcia anst to god, you're gonna have
to come back again and give us an update on
what's going on. Marsha Curry Nixon, founder and executive director
of A Miracle Number four for Sure dot com. This
(29:19):
has been so enlightening and you know what else encouraging
because we've learned a lot about what it's really like
to be homeless, what you face, and it's all about
finding your norm and where you went through a lot
to get there. I'm so happy for you, Thanks so
much for coming in and from our listeners. You can
find a Miracle for Sure and a Miracle the Number
(29:39):
four again for Sure, and you can also follow them
on all social media platforms and check out their Amazon
wish list. And remember Insight airs every Sunday on one
of our many iHeart stations. You can always find it
on your favorite podcast nopp I'm Sylvie Mons. This has
been insight. Thank you so much for listening. See you
next week.
I am Selby Moss. This is Insight Part two. We're
talking to I don't even know how to say it.
Marcia an incredible woman who has been through total hell.
Some of us only go through one of the things
she has been through. Some of us never face it.
But the whole thing is I'm going to ask Marcia
to continue her story. We left her in jail and
(00:25):
losing her children, and we talked. What I wanted to
talk about to begin with is people that say, get
a job, you just stop the drugs of the alcohol,
just show your doctor. What do you say to them, Marsha,
They don't get it.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
They don't get it.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
You don't understand the trauma that comes with the process
of and the reality of right. It was difficult for
me to stay focused on taking care of myself because
I thought I was supposed to prioritize taking care of
my children.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Because you had no direction, and you came from a
mother and father who passed that sickness, which mental illness.
All these things are you know, sickness onto you. But
tell us what happened. Excuse me, when you were in
jail and the kids, what happened then? And I need
to tell my listeners to this is in this barring story.
(01:25):
If you don't believe in stuff like this, listen to
part one. You'll see how bad things were for Marsha.
So go ahead, Marsha.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
So I got sentenced to one and a half to
five years. Okay, I spent six months in the county
because I was pregnant with my seventh child. I gave
birth to that child shackled and handcuffed to a hospital.
Be it at Lancaster General Hospital.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
How did you get to Lancaster from.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
They transported me from Icee Pastown Prison. It was the
hospital that was closest and able to deliver my child.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
So you had a baby, I had a baby.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Did not take the baby? Oh they didn't, No, ma'am.
I had a friend, my sister.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
My sister came to the hospital and picked up my
baby boy and had taken him.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
One of the things that stood.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Straight at the top of my forehead is to look
at that judge in his face when he said to
me that I was the worst thing of a mother
he's ever seen, Oh my god, and that I would
not be able to have access to my children. That order,
(02:42):
that judge order, is what I carried as I did
the next two and a half years of my life
in prison. You could not call them, you could not
visit with them, you could not write them.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I cut your heart out, your reason.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
For nothing mattered my God.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I held on to the fact that my sister had
my oldest son, Timothy, and that my church friends had
my baby boy, Christian, and I knew that if I
could keep my mind and heal my body, that I
would be able to at least have them to well.
I wasn't ready for what God was ready for me for.
(03:27):
I struggled with getting out of prison, but while in prison,
I took advantage of the opportunity. Using wasn't an option.
I went through programming, I went through parenting, I went
through drug and alcohol program I graduated from that program,
and I stayed clean. Yes, you can relapse in jail
if you want to. But at that point, I believe
(03:50):
that God placed some people in my life in that
prison who saw me when I didn't see myself, who
said to me, what are you doing in here, beautiful?
Why are you here? And I knew that through my
journey with them, that I had a purpose. I got
connected with the church, started singing like a bluebird, and
(04:13):
studying the word of God, and making sure that I
knew and understood why I was in this place and
what I was supposed to do. Not everybody gets that vision,
not everybody gets that opportunity, and not everybody takes it
as seriously as I needed to take it. I came
home in nineteen ninety six, right at the end of it.
(04:37):
I could not get a good home plan. But that
home plan that God had already prepared for me worked
out just fine. I got off the Greyhound bus in Harrisburg,
I stepped my foot down and walked down to North Street,
where I stayed for about a good six months until
I met someone in the twelve step meeting. I knew
(04:59):
that I had a goal, and my goal was to
find stable housing and never to use a drug again.
I needed to focus on those two, those two goals.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
You needed, excuse me, a healthy norm, yes, a different
kind of way, exactly. Excuse me, because what you didn't
have any of that throughout your whole life. Everybody disappointed, you, abused,
you left you down, and the most precious thing in
your life as a mother, I can say that too.
The most precious thing were your children that took you
(05:35):
away from them, which must that must have been a
horrible nightmare. You talked in part one, and I hope
our listeners do listen to part one about how you
were putting a police car and your children were taken
from you. The kids could see what was going on
with you, these little kids and you. That's a lot
of what that was your knock on the head, Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
So when you got to Harrisburg and you were in
a twelve step program, at what point did you decide
to start your nonprofit and why did you do it?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So fast forward to I got involved with children in
youth and I met a very really awesome mental health counselor,
and they emotionally supported me when they said to me, Marshall,
(06:32):
what are your goals and what is it that you
want to do. I found a local church to get
connected to, and so they were praying for me, and
I said, one day, I really was hoping that I
can ask God if he can give me my children back,
And and.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
We all started to.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Stay diligent with Marcia's goals and started praying about that
and started moving things in motion with that. I got
introduced to children and youth services here started visitation, and
once that started to happen, things started to be my
new norm. I started to feel more and better about myself.
(07:19):
That is all that little girl needed. And it was
off to the races from there, right and here we are.
I gave birth to my as if seven children wasn't enough.
I met a young man in Harrisburg and we had
a daughter. And it was through that relationship that I
was looking for a sense of normalcy. Right, And we
(07:43):
dated and got married and found a house everybody's dream,
not a house on the hill. Well maybe I should
take that back.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It was a house on the hill, Allison Hill, Okay.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
And so we got into a normalcy and he had
a job and I was taken care of children, and
I was working with my counselor, and I decided that
I wanted to go back to school. I went to
school to become a social worker. You know, lived experience
is the best experience. I felt as though I wanted
(08:18):
to turn my life around and help others to do
the same through my journey. I went to school, got registered,
graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College right there off Cameron
Street and nineteen ninety nine, they had a collaboration with
Lebanon Valley College.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I got a full ride.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I graduated from Lebanon Call Elebanon Valley College in two
thousand and four with my bachelor's degree in sociology. I
knew what made me tick. I also learned what made
others tick. And out of that I became a substance
abuse counselor a family therapist. And out of that journey
(09:01):
and that exposure to this community in Harrisburg, that led
me to wanting to do more. In twenty ten, just
two years after I graduated from Lebndon Valley College, I
went after my master's. Wow, my master's in public service leadership.
I mean, I believe we can do what it is
(09:22):
that we are called to do if we are focused
on the vision of what God had said it.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
But how could you have been focused when you were
beaten down? Your self esteem was in the toilet, everybody
left you down. You were faced with drug and alcohol abuse,
you were beaten up. You know, it's it's amazing.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
That's called healing. Yeah, when you allow therapy to penetrate.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
But you had all that stuff, so you how could
you take care of your children or live a normal
life when nothing was and your first part of your
life was normal.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I had to create a new norm. Exactly, you have
to create a new norm. And the new norm was
to accept where I came from, but not to allow
that to define where I was going. I knew on
January twenty sixth, nineteen ninety four that God had already
had this all prepared for me. I just didn't see it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Let me ask you this, did your parents practice any
type of religion.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
My father was a Jehovah witness.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Oh that's right, you said.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I believe my mother was a believer. She didn't take
me to church, but I believe she was a believer.
It was different.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
I always found my spiritual journey going and walking into
different faith spaces.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Right. I found a comfortable faith space in Harrisburg.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
You could go home, and I can go home.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
And it was like, every time I thought to think
about going back, it was not an option. So life
continued to go on.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Children started to graduate from high school, the kids doing,
the kids are doing great. Wow.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
I became an empty nester. People laugh at me sometimes.
I became an empty nester at fifty. Wow, today I
sit here at sixty. So for the last ten years,
my children have done what I considered the most amazing thing,
the thing that I prayed for. When my last child
(11:36):
graduated from high school and set off to go to college,
I left that five bedroom, three story house and moved
into a two bedroom a girl.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
But when I birnt a miracle.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
For sure, it was my vision to bring to develop
the services and supports that I wish.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I had had.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
That makes a lot, and I want to believe that
we are still revolving as you know, this new assignment
that I have been given. Yes, we are still evolving.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Well, let me ask you about that you had done
the drug and alcohol counseling. Did they reach out to you? Well,
let me ask you this first. We're talking about the
people that keep on that are homeless, the families and
the individuals that have been moved to different encampments all
over Harrisburg. It's all over the news. So how did
(12:32):
you get involved in it?
Speaker 3 (12:34):
So I've been you know, if you want to be
a part of the solution, you've got to get into
the meetings while talking about the problems, and so I
have been connected to community based organizations coalitions if you will,
small groups, big groups, gathering city, state and local government,
(12:56):
faith based organizations. I went and I sat at the table,
and it is through those conversations and discussions when we
start talking about solutions, when I say I want to serve,
as the Bible says about the least of these, I
want to be able to serve those in need. And
those in need looked like me, and it was important
(13:21):
for me to become that support for them. So a
miracle for sure was birthed in twenty ten. We have
been doing this work for fifteen years. It has grown
to be a service in a safe space for people
to come to be served. We are located at seventeen
thirty five State Street. We sent right on the corner
(13:42):
of eighteenth in State where we provide services and supports
to all. Anyone can walk into our office and ask
for help and we help them. No one has ever
paid for services at our organization. No one has ever
paid for services.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Where do you offer them?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
So we provide case management, support, mentoring, guidance, direction, direction.
We meet people where they are. We meet them by
their needs and their vision of where they want to
see themselves. And I think that is something that we
struggle with some days in this community, and that is
(14:25):
wanting to fix somebody, wanting to take someone out of
their brokenness and just throw them into a good life.
It's just not that simple. But we have the privilege
to have had lived experience. My children knows what it's
like to be homeless. They knew what it was like
to be hungry, they knew what it was like to
(14:46):
be children of addicted parents. It is through our lived
experience that we serve. I am blessed to serve alongside
of my children, who I believe, believe in the world
that we do so we help people, We meet them
where they're at. Three years ago, there was a need
for the unhoused community to take showers.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yes, we welcomed them intor our office.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Did they all come? No?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Did they all come?
Speaker 1 (15:15):
No?
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Some did, though enough did.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
On any given day Monday, Wednesday and Friday, a good
fifteen to twenty people walk into the office to take
a shower and get their laundry done.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Have you had an opportunity to talk to a good
number of them.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yes, those are my family.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Well, what is there a comminator, denominator or around among
all of them that you've spoken to. So, yes, mental health, Okay,
they realized they have an.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Issue, financial problems where there was no solution when you
go to an agency and you get financial support and
you're not able to go back to that agency because
you've been served already.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
So there aren't enough services, repetitive services.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Yes, ma'am wow, and not enough resources, not enough financial resources.
And currently at the rate we're going the budget, the
budget people have budget guidelines and then the funding doesn't
come to the need. The funding, the least funding goes
(16:22):
to the most need. And that's an area that I
feel that we need to get better with. And that's
not just here in Harrisburg. I'm talking about worldwide. Yes,
social services. They talk about first responders. We are first responders,
but you don't see the money funding into first responders
in that aspect.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
So is there anybody in the state House that support you?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah, plenty of them. I believe you know.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
We've we've walked alongside of Pattikin. She is a doll
and she understands the needs that we are addressing locally.
And I know that we will continue to to work
on addressing the needs.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
From county to County. We have local.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Law enforcement that understand, we have community service workers that understand.
But again, it is not their fault that we have
the problem. They don't have the funding to address the problem.
But together, I think collectively we solve the problem one
person at a time.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
I was hesitant to mention this because I was telling
somewhere yesterday I was going to be talking to you
and about this. What they call the tent is a
tent city, those folks, And they said, some of those
people don't want help. They liked their life the way
it is. Is that true?
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I don't believe that. No, why would somebody like That's right?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
They don't want to move.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
It's difficult to move. It was difficult for us to move.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I hated packing. But let me tell you something. I
moved every year for what seemed like ten years because
my goal was to move us into a better situation,
a better circumstance, a better school district, better housing space.
So no, I don't think it's easy for them to
pack up where they've been for years and take their
(18:17):
belongings and go over to another location.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Where are they now are? And what is today? It's
we're in August, Yeah, we're almost August.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Yeah, so tell me where they are. Some are still
at the current encampment location. Where is that that is
outside of the Pendt area over Independitt area. Others have
some have We started moving individuals into the American Community,
which is located right off of Cameron and Chenoi Street.
(18:54):
We started moving them last Friday and we have about
fifteen families at the new site, beautiful pavilion.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
We have water, food, supportive services.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
They're baby steps and we're not I'm not the one
to go and force anybody. We want for people to
come willingly. An invitation has been sent out. Some people
have accepted the invitation. People want to call it application.
People want to say there's just got too many guidelines.
(19:28):
It's an invitation, And I believe that guidelines help us
prepare ourselves. You say, when we start to look for
our new norm, our new norm comes with a little
bit of guidance.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
And I like we've adjusted.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
We have made adjustments to the guidelines that we put
into place. Why because we are committed to meeting people
where they are.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
This is something that I think is important to talk
about too. Speaking to other social service people in the
community organizations, to help support those that have needs. They
tell me that they're not surprised. It's not the people
that used to come in all the time. It wasn't
(20:14):
the people who were on welfare roles and then their
kids were on or and then you know, it wasn't
that type of thing. There are those people, but it's
starting to turn out that these are people in our
local communities with big shots. Something happens, they lose their job.
That could never see. That's what gets when people point
(20:35):
the finger, yes, that can never happen to me, and
now I'm finding it. I mean I can't and won't.
And they didn't identify people, but they tell me about
different things how they will. Some are well known, some
had good jobs. And another thing that hurts a lot
(20:55):
of these folks that end up on the streets is
that it could be normal family and somebody gets sick
and you don't have insurance because it's too aren't expensive.
It wipes out everything then the whole I mean, where
do you start? And I think, but you do. The
reason you do what you do so well is what
(21:16):
you said. I've always believed and that's why I think
a lot of big companies are starting to put on
their boards of directors, people who've experienced what they are
trying to sell. That's a great I'm glad you're doing it.
How big is your staff? There are eight of us,
eight of you, Yes, ma'am. Okay, what did they do?
(21:37):
Tell me about some of the things they do.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
So currently, we have a contract with the Department of
Corrections and we provide case management supportive services for those
that are leaving our state facilities. In addition to that,
we have regular county supportive services that we provide here locally,
(21:59):
housing assistant, eviction prevention, photo identification, those things that could
prevent you from growing yourself and going to work and
being identifying your new norm.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Right, So we.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Make sure that we assist with getting those pertinent documents
that are needed for them so that they can get themselves.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Back on their feet.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Listen, COVID shook the world upside down, and it says, yesterday,
I was speaking to someone right before COVID. Something happened,
and then COVID hit Yes, and then her mother caught
COVID and passed away.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Where was she supposed to go?
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yeah, that's right?
Speaker 3 (22:45):
How was how was somebody regardless of the situation and
how was somebody supposed to help her? And she went
to the streets and she's been in the streets ever since.
It becomes a norm.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Right. But what we do know is that if we.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Bring and meet people where there and bring those supportive
services in that understanding, that compassion, that empathy to stick
with it.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Though, we need a little bit more of the stick
to itiveness. Right.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
We can't say, oh, well, I can provide this service,
but that's about it, right, That's where we'd leave people suck. No,
we need a holistic approach to how I meet you
today and I see you through to your in all results,
do you find.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
That the service is provided? And say Dolphin County because
you're You're not just in Dauphin County. I have a
list of them, Dolphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, York, Mifflin, Juniana, Franklin, Perry,
Lebanon and all the surrounding areas mine. Because you must
say your car gaspell must be something. But go ahead
tell us about that.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Well, we went where where we went, where the need was.
I started in Douphin County. We went where the need was.
There weren't any services in those areas so we took
them there. When I say use me, lord, I didn't
say that I had a specific geographical location in doing that.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
They always tell you to be specific when you're talking.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
To Now, that wasn't happening.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
So we took those services to those areas and started serving.
And what COVID taught us is that virtually you can
do a lot zoom meetings, face to face meetings, you
can drive down the street. But there's no excuses for
not making services accessible.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
So we do that. We do that with love and care.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
How can you give these services for free? I mean,
how are you funding?
Speaker 2 (24:35):
So we apply for grants?
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Currently the Department of Corrections contract good covers the cost
for the salaries for those working on that assignment. Others
they just show up, particularly the ones that I birthed.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
That is awesome. Okay, what do you need as far
as helping to take care of these people right now
in your community? Said? Somebody delivered stone?
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Listen.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I never I never knew stones cost so much a
lump sum. So we wanted to get started really really quickly.
So we have almost what my son says is bigger
than a football field. So we need to cover that
field with stone. There were big boulder rocks on that property,
and so we've been purchasing stone to just level out
(25:25):
the land so that we can place the stable facilities
for them to live on. We're gonna we don't know
what the winter is going to look like, so we're
trying to stabilize that. So it be helpful, dear listeners,
if someone could assist us with getting the full property
stoned and so that we can utilize that space. We
(25:48):
did say we had a minimum amount of space that
we could use, knowing that there's more people over any
other area, but we need to clear that area. We
need to stone that area, and we need to make
that area available for folks.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
You're also looking for kents, right.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Tents, So we have an Amazon wish list that has
a list of things that we need for each of
the families.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
We need tents.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
We're looking for solar lights, solar fans. We don't know
how far this summer is going to take us into
We have an expecting mother on site.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
We make sure that.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
She's able to stay cool, so she has a solar
fan in her housing unit. So we're looking for those
things that we need. We got volunteers coming in and
bringing meals. Now they have a little bit longer to
walk to get access to services. We partnered with agencies
that are going to come in and bring services to
them so that they can have direct care there. So
(26:47):
I say, give me a call and or come by
and see where we're at. My number is seven one
seven six zero three zero four four to four. Go
to our web site. We have a few things listed
on the website. If you're not able to help in
this work physically, then perhaps you can make a small donation.
(27:09):
There is no such thing as a small small donation,
any donation, and I say this all the time. Your
donation directly impacts the services that we need for these
individuals that we're housing.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
At this Marshall, can you share maybe the most astonishing
story of somebody turning their life around? Does believing in
everything that you talked about finding a norm. It doesn't
have to be be with the folks you're helping now.
But is there a story that blew you away?
Speaker 3 (27:39):
There's stories that blow me away every day. I just
got an email from a young lady and I mean
just got it yesterday, and she says, Miss Marshall, I
saw you on the news, and I got this nudge
that I needed to give you a call, and I
wanted to tell you how much I really appreciated, how
much you have impacted my life. But she came in.
She came straight from prison. She had two child she
(28:00):
needed to get them out of foster care. It was
my story that led her to believe that she could
get them out of foster care. And then she got
them out of foster care, raised those two children as
a home, a house, a husband, and a car.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
All because one day we opened up our doors, gave
her a place to lay her head so she can
get herself to a point of thinking clearly, so that
she didn't have to worry about paying rent or paying
for the bills that weighed her down, dealing with the
addiction that held her hostage. She had that opportunity, and
she just said, thank you. There are hundreds of stories
(28:38):
I can tell you. There are two very particular videos
on my website, and I say go to the gallery
and watch the video and let that tell you the story.
Most importantly, just come have a seat. Let me tell
you a little bit about who we are and what
it is and how we're impacting the community here.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
How you have turned your life around. It's like you
stepped out of this shell or something and you're a
brand new person. Marcia anst to god, you're gonna have
to come back again and give us an update on
what's going on. Marsha Curry Nixon, founder and executive director
of A Miracle Number four for Sure dot com. This
(29:19):
has been so enlightening and you know what else encouraging
because we've learned a lot about what it's really like
to be homeless, what you face, and it's all about
finding your norm and where you went through a lot
to get there. I'm so happy for you, Thanks so
much for coming in and from our listeners. You can
find a Miracle for Sure and a Miracle the Number
(29:39):
four again for Sure, and you can also follow them
on all social media platforms and check out their Amazon
wish list. And remember Insight airs every Sunday on one
of our many iHeart stations. You can always find it
on your favorite podcast nopp I'm Sylvie Mons. This has
been insight. Thank you so much for listening. See you
next week.
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The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.