Alicia’s Story
Around three years ago I met one of my best friends. I was an addict; I was homeless, and I was constantly being bugged by people that were “trying to help.” Most of the time they would stop, ask me a bunch of awkward questions, sometimes look at me funny and then walk away. Maybe I would see them again, but most likely I would not. This one day however, I will never forget. I met a girl named Katie (Kathryn Morris) I am not going to lie when she walked up to me, I rolled my eyes. I was sitting on Broadway with my sign and my cup just trying to get through the day, just trying to survive. I knew immediately that she wasn’t like the others.
She never, ever looked down on me or looked at me as if I was any less of a human. When she asked me questions it wasn’t like she was reading them out of a textbook. She genuinely wanted to know the answers. She genuinely cared. And above all of that she came back. Every. Single. Day. With anything I ever needed. Socks, underwear, toiletries, clothes, blankets, food, drinks, and most importantly, information on rehabs. Restore Hope would set up every month with games, nail polish, food, drinks, clothes, and toiletries for us to come and unwind, get away from our normal routine and feel human for a few hours.
Katie and her team helped me with anything and everything I used to take for granted when I wasn’t homeless. But most of all and most importantly the support from her and her team will be something I will never forget for the rest of my time on this earth. Support I never got even from my own family. Support I was scared to receive because I didn’t know what genuine support and love was like.
Kat’s Story
What can I say about Restore Hope that the name fits to what they do. About 2 years ago I met Katie when I was first homeless out in New York City and she approached me. I was probably at the lowest or getting to the lowest in my life and from that day on her being in my life she has definitely restored hope and lets me believe that with faith patience and God anything can happen. I would actually like to thank Katie and the whole Restore Hope organization for making a huge change in my life and doing what they are titled to do, “Restore Hope.”
