Recently, we were notified of a bequest from an individual with no apparent prior connection to Pine Street. He was clearly moved by our work and upon his death, made a gift of his home to benefit our efforts to end homelessness.

We know very little about Larry, our bequest donor, and how he came to make such a generous gift. We know only that he was a Vietnam veteran; he worked at the airport; and he had a family at one time. Perhaps he felt what many of our volunteers and donors have expressed: "There but for the grace of God go I."

Maybe Larry felt like his life could have turned out like Jack's under different circumstances. Jack had lived on the streets for over 25 years. Like our donor Larry, Jack once had a family and a job. Like Larry, he had a service record. Unlike Larry, his life had unraveled and he wound up sleeping on a park bench.

Over the years, Pine Street's Outreach workers regularly stopped by his bench, offering Jack a sandwich and a blanket. As time went on, the workers mentioned the idea of housing. Jack was wary of just about everything, but he had become tired of living on the streets. He agreed to try housing for just "one" night. That one night has now turned into more than two years.

Every night Pine Street Inn's Outreach team visits with individuals like Jack, hoping to help their transition into permanent supported housing. Because of donors like Larry, Jack's story has a happy ending. Larry's gift of his house, after its sale, will provide funds to Pine Street that will enable others like Jack to move off the streets and out of homelessness for good.