The Other Place Program
From homeless to hopeful, Scott Thompson, 45, has really turned his life around.
After more than 20 years of steady employment, trouble with his driver’s license forced Scott to ride the bus to work, relying on public transportation to get him to work on time. His employer at the time had a system of issuing points for late arrivals. After so many points Scott’s employment was terminated.
It wasn’t long after that when Scott found himself living on the streets. “It was God awful,” Scott said. “I saw some terrible stuff out there.”
Scott said being homeless is a “vicious cycle.”
“If you don’t have an address, you can’t get a job,” he said.
“When you’re homeless, no one wants to help you,” Scott said. “I could have asked my family for help, but I didn’t want to do that, and they didn’t offer.”
It was a year and a half before he connected to The Other Place homeless shelter and entered the employment program offered by Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley (GESMV).
Through this unique partnership, individuals receiving housing support from The Other Place are also placed in an employment training program through GESMV. The paid training program helps individuals cover the monthly cost of rent so they can focus their energy on learning new skills and finding permanent employment to break the cycle.
“You guys have really helped me a lot,” Scott said. He doesn’t like to think about what his life might have been like without the support he received. “I don’t know what would have happened to me to tell you the truth.”
With an employment specialist, Scott had the support he needed to get a job at B.D. Mongolian Grill. He’s been there two years and continues to thrive and is working his way into management. “I enjoy interacting with the customers,” Scott said.
The customers are just one of the things that helps Scott endure the two hour bus ride to and from work, fortunately he has an understanding boss. That and remembering what it was like on the streets.
“It can happen to anyone, especially this day in time,” Scott said. “I look at everything that’s shut down. I remember when this town was thriving. It’s sad, but I’ve been blessed.”
