Harvey Townsend was born in Mississippi but raised by his aunt in Pine Buff Arkansas. “My mom had some problems and we were all going into foster care. My brother and I kept taking our younger siblings and running away so we wouldn’t be split up. that’s when they started looking at relatives. My brother, Reggie, and I were adopted by our aunt: the younger ones were adopted by another aunt and my grandmother. We didn’t live together, but we could all stay in touch.”
Mr. Townsend joined the Army right after high school and served three years. He worked in automotive repair, primarily in parts and supplies. “I would have re-enlisted, but my aunt and grandmother were not doing well and needed care so I went home. They passed within twenty-eight days of each other.”
Mr. Harvey was working as a heavy equipment operator and he and Reggie continued living in Pine Bluff in the house that they grew up in and had been left to them, ” Our step-uncle had power of attorney and sold the house away from us. We fought it, but lost. That was in 1980. After that, I guess you could say I started a life of crime. I went to jail in 1982 for theft t support a drug problem. “
Mr. Harvey tried to start over in 2016. “I got paid and spent it all on a binge. My oldest brother had said if I needed help, He’d be there. I called him and he gave me the money to get to Missouri to live with Reggie. I tried hard and got sober, got a job; I did real well for four years. But I had still been on parole in Arkansas so I had a warrant. One night some guy started hitting my brother, I got involved, the police were called. And I went back to prison. When I got out, I began stealing again to support my habit. I got caught and did three years. I made a lot of bad decisions. I But here is where I know God was watching over me. I bought a ticket to go back to Missouri, but I missed my bus. I ended up in Little Rock. I called my daughter to pick me up and stayed with her for a while. Then I stayed with my ex-wife. We were married for seven years, but I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. She’s a good woman and it was so kind of her to let me stay there. but that wasn’t a long term solution. I went to the Day Treatment Center and then was placed here. I’ve got two years sober and God knew I needed to come here. I got my voucher for housing today and I’m pleased with who I see in the mirror. St. Francis House let me start my life over.”