Meet Ronnie

This is Ronnie, and all he wants is to break the cycle.

One of the common refrains among these friends I meet is how hard it is to get a fresh start.

Ronnie’s been homeless for a few months after nearly a year in jail for a desperation burglary. 

It was a “stupid thing to do,” his words, and he paid the price and did his time. He makes no excuses for his mistakes.

But once freed, he discovered he couldn’t stay in the local shelter because he’s on a doctor-prescribed controlled substance and they don’t allow that.

Why doesn’t he have a job? It’s hard to get one without an address.

Why doesn’t he have an address? It’s hard to rent even a room without something in the bank.

Why doesn’t he camp like so many others? 

He has a CPAP machine that needs power, not to mention it would be stolen from a campsite if he left it.

So he hunts for day labor, help from strangers, and stretches his meager disability assistance, but it’s tough to make enough for anything more than one night at a time in a nearby motel. 

Next time you see someone with a sign on the corner, don’t jump to conclusions.

Don’t assume they’re lazy, or an addict, or a scammer.

It’s called survival.

With your help, we gave him meals for several days. And thanks to our Leadership Circle supporters, we helped with the motel.

An absolute pleasure to meet Ronnie. I’ll be cheering for that fresh start he — and all of us — deserve.