A Home For Keith For Christmas

*Even though Christmas is over, we are still raising funds for Keith!  It's important to keep the kindness and generosity of the holiday season going throughout the year, and we want to give Keith a new year full of opportunity.  Please help us continue to do so!*  

"To the young men that stopped at the intersection on Sunday evening at 5:30, where the homeless man was standing in the median, just to call him over and yell obscenities at him, then throw nickels at him - I found out some things about him after I saw him crying as I drove by. Just thought you might want to know:

- His name is Keith; he lost his dad to cancer when he was 16 and never knew his mom. He's originally from Fort McMurray and lost his home in the wildfires.

- He is diabetic and stands there because that's the closest spot to the pharmacy that stays open the latest that will fill his prescription from day to day (He showed me his prescription). He can only get his prescription on a day to day basis due to stipulations for the homeless because it needs to be kept at the proper temperature.

- Once he gets enough cash to walk to the pharmacy and pay for his medication, he walks to the Gateway motel (the only place that won't kick him out for being homeless) - but only if he has the $80 cash for a room. Then he does the same thing all over again the next day.

- He was terrified and hesitant to get into my car - even at minus 16 degrees.The first question he asked me was "You're not going to hurt me, are you?" When I said no and that I just wanted to help him because I saw the incident with the car in front of me, he replied with "everybody that hurts me says no but they still hurt me", but that he took a risk in getting into my car because I asked him his name and shook his hand - and nobody ever does that.

- He stopped going to shelters downtown to fill his med prescriptions for free and get a free room because he was getting rolled for his meds and attacked for other reasons. He's been stabbed (he showed me his scar) and beaten several times.

- He cried many, many times while I spent the evening with him. He couldn't believe I was treating him with dignity and respect. He would cry in the most heart wrenching fashion, saying "why do people need to do these things? Do you know what it's like to be treated as though you're not even human?". He thanked me at least 100 times, apologized even more for the strangest of reasons - just because he thought he was inconveniencing me.

- He ended up asking me if he could use my phone to check on a friend of his. I could hear the conversation because the girl he was talking to was crying loudly, telling him that her dad had died. He gave up a place to stay that night that would have been comfortable and safe for him to selflessly spend time with his grieving friend.

- At the end of our time spent together, as I was getting ready to drop him off - he didn't know that I could hear him, but I heard him say a prayer of thanks to God. The last thing he asked me was "do you think that God has a plan for me"? I told him, yes, I do.

I struggled with telling this story for a lot of reasons; however, it needs to be told. This is the shortened version. There is SO much more to Keith and his struggles and what happened during our time together. It was surreal, and humbling. We may not be able to do everything for everybody, but we CAN take care of each other - one person at a time. I hope you're doing well, Keith! Think about this as winter approaches, people. Please."

We are currently trying to raise enough money, to help Keith find a home.  For all of the people out there who showed their support and kindness, and want to help us support Keith, we urge you to please donate.  

Helping the less fortunate, one person at a time.

Thank you to Michael Scott MacDonald for stopping to help Keith, for sharing his story, and for continuing to work with us to help Keith find a home for Christmas.