When Jason came to our overnight shelter, The Bridge on 7th, he was unsheltered. Jason had struggled with drug addiction in the past which led to many challenges in his life. At the time of his stay, he had been sober for several years and was trying to rebuild his life. Jason appreciated the opportunity to have a safe, warm place to sleep for a couple of weeks during the cold Minnesota winter. Through all of his challenges, he had stayed at a couple of shelters and shared that “this was the cleanest shelter he had been to, and the staff members were very compassionate.” Last spring, Jason moved out of the area and enrolled in a program that helps unsheltered people with job placement. He was able to find a job last summer and is doing very well. He returned to the area for a visit recently and wanted to volunteer at the shelter to give back. He helped with some painting inside the shelter. Jason is a great example of how the small kindness of a safe, warm place to sleep, compassionate connection, and hard work can help set someone on a better path.
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