According to Texas Homeless Network, 57,685 people in Texas experienced homelessness in 2024. That number is likely much higher, as this statistic is based solely on the number of individuals who sought help from government agencies.
Some might feel the issue of homelessness is too great, too complex, or too difficult; however, not everyone sees it as an impossible challenge. Good Shepherd Mission in Huntsville is a Christ-centered, non-profit shelter, food pantry, meal site, and thrift store with the goal of sharing the hope of Jesus Christ and caring for homeless individuals and families.
Monte Robinson is at the helm, having taken on the role of director in June 2024. He sees the task as great, but he is willing to get in the trenches with those who visit the mission to labor for their better tomorrow.
Share a little about yourself.
I was a store manager for Eckerd Drug, working full-time there for about 10 years. Then I went into part-time ministry and continued with Eckerd part-time. I was in the ministry at Fellowship of Huntsville Church for 17 years. Then I became a church planter, training young pastors to preach and teach. I did that for four years. Fellowship started Restore Texas Ministries, a trade school for homeless men. I helped do that. That’s where I got experience working with the homeless. I have a bachelor’s degree from Moody Bible Institute and a master’s in biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. I’m married to Debra, who is running the thrift store at the mission right now. She came on with me when I started here and is working part-time now.
I love this community because it’s a very giving and friendly community. When you stay in an area for 30 years, you grow accustomed to it. I have a lot of great friends here. It was a lot smaller 30 years ago. It was quaint. When I was single, I didn’t like the smallness as much. Once I got married, I enjoyed that much more. Even with the growth, I still love Huntsville.
Right now, I’m building a sailboat. I’m about to try to get it back in the water with a smaller sail. I had a bigger sail, and it was too much to learn on. Right now, that’s my hobby. I love the ocean. We go on a cruise every now and then. I love water; I can’t be out on the ocean really, but I can get it out on a small lake.
There are people living in the woods, squatting in people’s homes, living behind businesses around their dumpsters. I think it’s a complex thing. You might see one or two out in the community, but behind those one or two there are dozens more. I think we all know there are homeless people in Huntsville, but I believe the quantity would shock people.
There’s been a lot to learn. This place is a food bank; thrift store; meal site 365 days a year; and a homeless shelter for men, women, and families. When you roll all that together, there’s a lot to learn. There were changes I wanted to make to fit more of the vision I had—my personality, and what I thought needed to happen. That would have happened with any change in leadership. After 10 months, I feel like it has my stamp on it. For about the first 6 months, I didn’t make any changes.
We went from two voluntary classes to six mandatory classes for lodgers (people who live on site). They had one Bible study and one addiction recovery class. Those remained, and we added another Bible study class, two job training classes, and one class where they look for jobs in a computer lab once a week. We partner with WorkFaith out of Houston. They’re an excellent non-profit that does remote job skills training. Workforce Solutions has been coming over and doing classes, also. We also have Tri-County (Behavioral Healthcare) coming over talking about PTSD, depression, and other challenges that are common to the homeless. We also moved the women’s dorms. This has been a positive change.
We started a job training program. They’re now learning how to build sheds. They’ve also learned to build picnic tables. People can hire our vetted men from the shelter who are hard workers to work in the yard or do projects. Their pay goes to Good Shepherd Mission, so the men can pay their own way through the program. At the end of six months in the program, we give them $3,000 to get on their feet. We have 4 people in that pilot program right now. Our goal for every single person in the Life Recovery Program (for lodgers) is that they’ll be stable, in their own home, and have a job when they leave here.
We are working on a tiny house village. We’re exploring it. It’s not finalized, but honor students from Sam Houston State University just designed a master plan for our 3.6 acres. It joins our current property. We’d like to put transitional housing on it in the form of a tiny house village. People would pay extremely affordable rent to cover our program costs. It would especially be geared toward seniors and the disabled.
We need a few more volunteers at the front desk and in the thrift store. We’ve just started a chaplaincy program. We’re looking for volunteers that have been trained in Bible college and/or seminary who have time to be chaplains. We’d love to see mentoring as well. We’d love to have Christian counselors here, where they might complete their practicums with us. If someone has experience with case management, it would be great to have a volunteer case worker who could work with lodgers who are nearing the end of their time in our program.
Yes! We can always use donations in the thrift shop of sellable furniture and household goods. We could also use food donations. Also, we are looking for 1,000 people to give $25 per month. A lot of our donors have passed away or moved from the area, so we are inviting individuals to partner with us. God’s got us.
The call of God. I know he has called me to this ministry. That alone is enough. I realize this is why I exist right now.
As a society, we don’t want to give up on people. Let’s not let our love for people grow cold.
The Good Shepherd Mission exists to serve the spiritual and physical needs of individuals and families. Homeless individuals seeking assistance can find shelter (if there is capacity) at the mission by applying for entrance to the Life Recovery Program. This requires individuals to participate in classes and training, pursue employment, and volunteer at the mission. Lunch and dinner is provided daily to lodgers and clients from the public. The food pantry is open Monday through Friday 9:00-11:45 a.m. and the last Thursday of the month from 5:00-6:00 p.m. The thrift store is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Good Shepherd Mission is located at 1005 Martin Luther King Drive in Huntsville. Visit goodshepherdmission.org for more information.
Special Editorial Comment
We set out to present a feature on Monte Robinson…but, whether it’s photography or discussion, the man at the Good Shepherd Mission is a man on mission–and doesn’t want himself to be the focal point! We did our best to present readers a glimpse of the man and the personality and experience he brings…but Monte would tell you the real story is told daily at the Mission–in every soul touched by hope.
Postcards Magazine
936-293-1188
PO Box 690
Huntsville, TX 77342
