""One of the misconceptions of homelessness is it just takes a job or it just takes a house for everybody to get better," said Brandan Thomas, CEO of Open Door Mission in Houston. "The truth is, for many individuals who find themselves in a situation where they're homeless, is that it was a seven year journey to get there, and so if it was a seven year journey to get into that, it's going to take more than just a couple of quick things to fix it.""
""We sit down with somebody and you have this pre-conceived idea of somebody who is homeless, and they begin to tell you about how they lost their job and how it began a spiral," said Thomas. "You begin to have the thought, man, this could have happened to me.""
""We help men receive their GEDs," said Thomas. "We also help men get physically and mentally well. We hav"
Dozens of missions and shelters participate in Conversations on a Bench for World Homeless Day, where directors spend 24 hours on a bench live-streaming conversations with community members and people experiencing homelessness. The bench serves as a safe space for anyone to sit and engage in real conversations about homelessness, addiction and mental health. Brandan Thomas started the event in 2017 to share stories and spark change, noting homelessness often follows a long, complex decline rather than a single event. Open Door Mission in Houston provides addiction recovery, counseling, social and health services, and GED support for men.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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