When Bruce first connected with Good Samaritan Services, he was living in a tent under a bridge with his son, JJ.
As winter approached, Bruce was offered a place to stay with a family member on one condition: JJ couldn’t come. For Bruce, the choice was easy. He would not leave his son alone. He stayed in the tent so they could stay together.
That’s when Good Sam’s Outreach met them where they were—literally. Katie, our Outreach Resource Coordinator, began building a relationship with Bruce and JJ, visiting them under the bridge and taking them to Griddle & Grind, a local coffee shop. There, surrounded by staff who treated him with genuine kindness, Bruce began to feel something he hadn’t felt in a long time: welcomed as a fellow neighbor.
Trusting others wasn’t easy for him, but Katie kept showing up. That consistent compassion changed everything for Bruce. He eventually made a brave decision and entered Good Sam’s program.
Moving out of his tent and into stable housing at Good Sam was a turning point. With Katie’s support, Bruce began setting and reaching meaningful stability goals:
But the biggest milestone was Bruce feeling he could trust again and believing he deserved help, safety, and dignity.
His growth inspired JJ as well. After watching his father thrive, JJ chose to join the program too. Today, father and son are both working toward a more stable future.
Bruce’s story is proof that compassion truly changes everything. And your support makes stories like his possible every single day.
