When I first got my job the first thing that came to mind was Tony. I’ve seen Tony on the streets the past few years while going to USC. You couldn’t miss him. He could often be found sitting on a park bench downtown for hours, or walking through the down town area. He stood out because of the huge dreaded hair he used to sport and the multiple layers of clothing he’d wear in 100 degree weather. Tony represents the homeless who are mentally ill who fall through the cracks, and it was my job to help him. How awesome is that. Engaging Tony was not easy. He was not very responsive and would deny any food or drink I bought for him. In fact I heard from multiple people that Tony would often refuse money.
Most people in town knew Tony because he had been homeless for about 15 years. Through my job and overcoming some system restraints, we were able to help tony get off the streets and into stable housing. This is just one of the stories of the many people I’ve been blessed to help through my work at MIRCI. The local newspaper did a story about Tony that you can read here. To read more about my job, click here
