January 7, 2025 we met Ryan Yergeau while he was living in his car. He was for outside BJs in Middletown holding up a sign for help. It was 15* in the wind chill and Ryan's body was visibly shaking. It could be easy to prejudge Ryan due to his appearance , but he is a soft-spoken, unassuming, intelligent, kind young man with a progressive disease that destroys his skin and leaves him unable to feel the cold. To find out better how to help him, we found the ProJo article about his family from 2023. Please take a look at it for more background. (https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/11/27/ri-homeless-familys-story-and-good-samaritan-helping/69594177007/)

His mother, now deceased, was worried about his future when she passed away, with good reason. Ryan is connected with all the services available in our area, but there is no housing for him and his family dog. In 2014, another homeless man, Michael Bourque, 34, died in a fire in a moving truck in Newport while trying to keep warm overnight. We cannot let this happen again.

You can see from the original article to the current picture that Ryan's (non-contagious) disease has worsened, leaving him vulnerable to infection and unable to work. The disease affects every organ in his body. He lives in a broken car with his dog "Ryno", by all rights a service dog, but too old to be certified as one. Ryno gives Ryan comfort, purpose and helps reduce anxiety. Thanks to the outpouring of support from the community, our original goal to replace Ryan's car was met, but car living is no longer a realistic goal.

Ryan is not a stranger. He is one of us. He was raised in Middletown. He attended J.F. Kennedy elementary school. He loves reading and fixing things. He loves his namesake dog of 12 years. He has a great sense of humor. He could be any one of our children.

This winter will be worse than last. The car is irreparably broken so the heater no longer works. The weather is now freezing. A small, clean room with the privacy of a bathroom could save these lives.

Please share this with everyone you can, and thank you for whatever you can do. Donations go toward affordable motel rooms where Ryan can wash up and rest, as well as hygiene items, clothing, and dog food for Ryno until housing hopefully finds them a permanent home.

And if you see Ryan on the street, (in the BJ’s parking lot during warm weather) stop and say hi. You’ll be inspired by his strength, grace, good humor and gratitude.

PS. Special thanks to all "Anonymous" donors. We don't know who you are... but God does. Your ongoing generosity has been a tremendous blessing to these 2 friends, Ryan and Ryno. This thanks is for YOU!

(Note: Total donations received (approx. $23,000) is what has been raised since January 2025, 11 months ago. It has cost more than $2400 per month to put Ryan and Ryno in an affordable motel while they await subsidized housing. So the current amount left in Ryan's fund today, 12/3/25, is $1100, enough to house them until possibly January 3, 2025. We hope to raise enough to get keep them sheltered until warmer weather in April or until his health team finds them housing. Thanks for whatever you can do!