Paralegals & Legal Secretaries

Part-Time Paralegal Spends His Nights in a Homeless Shelter

By Jeannie Sapp Johnston

Jeff is a paralegal by day, but at night he sleeps at Homeward Bound homeless shelter in Grand Junction. ?The first night I came here, I was pretty upset. I had never been homeless,? the 53-year-old said. Jeff has been at the shelter for more than three months.

This story is truly heartwrenching and inspirational.  Despite his circumstances, this part-time Paralegal chooses to see the silver lining.

Any day sober, even if it?s in a homeless shelter, is infinitely better than a day on the outside getting high, according to homeless resident Jeff.

A paralegal by day, Jeff has been staying at Homeward Bound for the past three-and-a-half months. It won?t be long until he has his own roof overhead.

?I?m OK with this if it?s only for a couple more weeks or so,? said Jeff, who didn?t want his last name printed.

About 20 years ago Jeff said he lived it up with a high-paying job that supported a destructive cocaine habit. That all came crashing down after Jeff lost his job.

He said he found himself homeless for the first time after his parents kicked him out of their home late last year. After developing painful back problems, he said he took to drinking vodka to cope with the discomfort. One of his parent?s rules for staying was that he not take drugs or drink alcohol. Jeff said he doesn?t fault them for kicking him out.

Instead, he has been saving money, working part-time as a certified paralegal. He is slated to get into subsidized housing soon. He also relies on moral support from his church, Heritage Church.

Near the first of the month, when government checks roll in, Jeff notices many familiar faces at the shelter disappear. Indeed, shelter staff said, when some chronically homeless people get a little bit of money, they are apt to stay in motels for a few days.

?Why not take that money and save it up for an apartment?? he asked. ?Sometimes it?s too easy to stay here.?

Source: The Daily Sentinel

Related posts:

1. Paralegal Gives New Face to Homeless
2. Paralegal Spends Her Days Tracking Down Millions
3. Paralegal Reinvents Himself to Avoid Layoff

Full post as published by ParalegalGateway Blawg on February 14, 2011 (boomark / email).