Joe's Experience: With a background in musical performance and orchestration, Joe and his wife began directing and training choirs of inner-city children, dating back as early as the mid 1990's. It was at one of those choir rehearsals that Joe came to understand his life's purpose. While the other children were eating the donated pre-rehearsal meal, a young girl with a swollen eye approached Joe. She had been hit by her angry, drug-addicted mother and was frightened and in pain. Joe comforted her and prayed for her, and then the little girl's sister saw this love. Her sister came up to Joe and said, "Will you be my daddy?" Before he could answer, another little girl walked up and asked the same question, "Will you be my daddy?" This continued as child after child surrounded Joe asking sincerely, "Will you be my daddy?" Joe was deeply moved and embraced them all. That day he became "Papa Joe," and he dedicated his life to help children in need through love providing hunger relief, education and experience in the performing arts. Papa Joe's life is the inspiration behind the feature-length film, "Unconditional" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG7wzbyqNo0) Since the release of "Unconditional", Papa Joe has traveled around the nation as an ambassador and spokesperson for many non-profit organizations spreading the purpose of love in action and teaching various non-profit strategies. Through his success as the leader of Elijah's Heart in serving thousands of inner city children and parents, Papa Joe has been the positive focus of news reports both in print, radio and television and has been chosen for humanitarian awards such as the Darrell Waltrip Hometown Hero in 2016 and the Huck's Hero Award (Mike Huckabee Show) in 2018. Good Morning America interviewed Papa Joe nationally at the close of 2021 as he encouraged the nation to serve impoverished families. |