No matter where I go, it’s HOT! Even in the A/C I feel like I am melting. Is it me? Or is it simply life. Especially in August…just put me in a tub of ice and let me be!
Think about the men and women living on the streets, now and in August, living in the cold or the heat, feeling as if they have no hope, no chance of survival. My heart goes out to them. And if we can help, we will. But working with a homeless person takes special skills….
One of our 10,000 Beds board members, Jeff Dougherty, Director of Operations with Breakaway Health Corporation, spends his free time scouring the beaches and bridges for lost humans – and when I say lost, I mean literally lost. Their family doesn’t know where they are. They may have been living on the streets for days, or years. But no matter what, their family is concerned, their lives are hanging by a thread, and mental health challenges combined with substance abuse are present.
And Jeff goes out and finds them. He’s an angel to these homeless humans. He brings hope and a reality check and the love of their families. And often, he reunites the lost loved one with their family.
10,000 Beds is about lifting individuals out of despair into a place of hope and love. Jeff Dougherty is a great example of what we are about. Every time he heads out on a search, he is an ambassador for good humans. He changes lives. He answers prayers.
It takes courage to roam the areas where these lost people live. Sometimes it’s hot, sometimes it’s pouring rain. It doesn’t matter to Jeff. Searching for the lost sheep takes heart. And Jeff has heart. We salute him!