Ethan has been on his own for many years. Now twenty-three, he works double shifts at a local restaurant – not to get ahead, but to avoid sleeping outside in the cold. Even with steady employment, housing remains out of reach.
When winter temperatures dropped, Ethan was hospitalized with severe frostbite.
Through a referral, he connected with St. Vincent de Paul and received a lifesaving sleeping bag coat – designed to protect against subzero temperatures. For Ethan, it was more than a coat. It was a chance to make it through the winter.
“I’m not trying to give up,” he said. “I just need a chance to get on my feet.”
That meeting was the beginning. Beyond the coat, Ethan was connected to additional support to help him move toward stability and independence. He has refused to quit. Now, he does not have to do it alone.
