Scott’s story highlights just how easy it is for someone to go from housed to homeless, seemingly overnight. He shares, “One incident can change the entire trajectory of a person’s life.” Scott grew up in a loving family home in Michigan, with his brother, sister and their parents. He graduated from high school and felt that life was good during those years.

Scott was working in the restaurant industry when Covid struck, but he felt as if he was in a good financial position. He was working in Ohio at the time and had saved up money to buy himself a used car. The cash he had saved from tips was carefully hidden in his room in the apartment he shared with some friends. One night, he got into a heated argument with a roommate and neighbors called the police. Scott received charges of assault and criminal damage and had to serve two months in the county jail.

By the time he was released, he quickly realized his misfortune. While in jail, he was evicted from his apartment for failing to pay rent. In addition, his belongings and the cash stored in his room had suddenly disappeared. His driver’s license, birth certificate and all of his personal items were also gone. The only possession Scott maintained was his car. Scott shares, “The system knocked me down so many pegs, I was helpless.”

Scott stayed with friends and did some couch surfing, but quickly wore out his welcome. The option to stay with family was gone, as his parents were living in a retirement village on a limited income. He felt alone and sank even further into his troubles. With nowhere to go, he ended up in a homeless shelter and began drinking heavily to escape. He eventually decided to drive to Colorado, since there was nothing left for him in Ohio. With little more than a couple dollars in his pocket, Scott arrived in Boulder with no plan. He stayed at the Boulder shelter for the homeless and committed additional crimes due to a lack of employment. Scott soon received more jail time, making it even more difficult for him to find a job due to his criminal record. He was eventually released on probation, but knew he needed a solid plan if he was going to avoid going back to jail.

One day, Scott heard about the Ready to Work program at Bridge House. He applied and quickly began the process of rebuilding his life. His strong work ethic and willingness to follow the rules of the program quickly earned him a position as a lead on the outdoor crew. He took classes to earn his Colorado Peer and Family Specialist training, thinking that one day he could give back to others the help he had received. He was released from probation and graduated in 2023 to his own apartment and a position as a Ready to Work Outdoor crew supervisor. Scott’s situation makes it easy to see the dire need for systemic change in our country. Looking back on his journey, he shares, “One incident can change the trajectory of your life. I was completely blindsided by going to jail. It is really scary how close people are to homelessness.” Ready to Work is honored to provide the needed support to help such a hard working and caring individual as Scott. With the right tools, he turned his life around and created a new trajectory for his life.