Page 122 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2025

WHERE WE’RE GOING
Bro. Bill Barton Billy Barton Josh Barton Clay Barton
The Legacy Continues story by Lynn Lofton
The Barton family continues the legacy of Home of Grace and plans to continue that service into the future. As executive director, Josh Barton is at the helm but
is quick to point out the important roles his brothers Lee and Clay play. Clay
is associate director and Lee left the organization to start his own company, Bayou Blend, with a desire to help Home of Grace.
They grew up with the examples of their father and grandfather showing them the importance of service to their fellow man. “My mom took me to Home of Grace
as a kid, and I liked to hang out with the guys,” Josh, the oldest son, recalls. “I grew up in it and always loved it. My parents understood that leadership has to be a calling; they didn’t push me.”
Josh and the other employees and volunteers see lives transformed over and over. “We see lives that are a complete wreck and we want to repeat those transformations,” he says. “I visited with the third graduate of the program, Pat Sullivan of Moss Point. He told me, ‘your grandfather loved on us and told us to love ourselves and others.’ This is where miracles happen in spite of us.”
As one of the oldest addiction programs in the country, the Home of Grace program is replicated in other places
and the staff has served as consultants, sometimes bringing back new ideas.
“More than 35,000 people have been helped. Our goal is not to turn anyone away because of financial need without compromising quality,” Josh says.
Looking to the future, his vision is to have outpatient and family counseling through a program called Crown Joy at multiple locations. Virtual counseling will also be offered. Because this counseling is insurance billable, it can create an income flow for Home of Grace. The residential program requires a large cash flow and
at the present fundraising is following the economy. Josh hopes to create an endowment for financial growth.
Following its 60 years of success,
the Home of Grace will continue its Christian-centered addiction recovery programs. As to who will carry the mantle forward, Josh says, “It won’t necessarily be the family. It’s more about who God calls.”
122 | December 2025
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