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           “When I moved back to Indiana from Tennessee, I had nothing. I was homeless, with no money, no vehicle, no job, and in debt. It was mid-December and I didn’t even own a coat. Most of the time, I would eat lunch at the local Mission. But once a week, I liked to frequent a small free lunch program located in the basement of a local church. In the back of the dining room, they also provided some free clothing.

          One week, as I walked toward the church, I was greeted by a local gentleman whom I had befriended. He volunteered at the church, helping sort and put away the donated clothing. He said he had been thinking of me, reached into his backpack and gave me a leather coat he had been saving for the next time he saw me, because he knew it was about my size.I was overwhelmed, not only by his gracious gesture but because he was homeless, as well, with a wife who was very ill. Even through his own personal travails and problems, he thought of me. 

         I have always appreciated that little church and I will never forget my friend. I still have that coat. I wore it every winter, for years and years. It’s old now, and worn, and the zipper doesn’t even work. But I will never get rid of it, because of what it stands for. I will keep that coat for the rest of my life. It is what has inspired me, on my life’s journey and my desire to pay it forward.”​