David’s life turned upside down when his stepfather passed away. He’d been a part of their family since David was little, and David called him “Dad.” Then, David’s mother lost her battle with cancer – and the once strong family crumbled into complete destruction.

Before losing his parents, David’s life had been a happy one. With six siblings, there was always something to do. But after seeing sickness and death in his parents at a young age, David struggled to cope.

“I started blaming everyone,” said David. “I had no one to keep me accountable after that so I started making bad choices.” To take his pain away, David turned to drugs. And before long, he began struggling with addiction… then homelessness. At first, it was just the occasional night on the streets when he couldn’t find a friend to take him in. But eventually, he became homeless full time. That’s when he knew he needed help.

“I realized my life wasn’t as perfect as I thought it was. It was actually pretty filthy. I looked for a way to improve my situation – and found the Christian Aid Center.” David joined our Rebuilders life-change program and started building good habits – but the biggest difference was finally having accountability for his actions.

“It was an eye-opener to realize I couldn’t care for myself,” he says. “I hadn’t been able to feed myself or put a roof over my head. I realized how broken I was.” Through our program, David healed from his past and overcame his addiction. That was nearly 10 years ago – and he has enjoyed a happy, self-sufficient life ever since.

David was able to build a future because of your heart of compassion for him and other neighbors in need. Because you chose to share God’s love, he has a path forward in life. “I’m thankful to the CAC because they clothed me, housed me and fed me. I still have imperfections, but I’m able to support myself now.”