He never imagined he would be a guest at the shelter as he approached 60 years old.

“I’ve always known about this place as I’d always pass by it,” he says. “I never really knew what they do until I had to come here.”

Kenneth is one of Rescue Outreach Mission’s success stories, showing how the shelter helps people turn their lives around.

Many people think of people experiencing homelessness as the chronic homeless or the panhandlers on the corner.

However, Rescue Outreach Mission’s focus is on individuals and families like Kenneth, men, women, children and seniors who face a series of events – or sometimes just one event – that strips away their shelter.

Four years ago, Kenneth quit his job and went to Connecticut with his girlfriend. Her mother and sister were both suffering from cancer, so they went to take care of them. While there, Kenneth experienced health problems too, suffering from two minor strokes.

The strokes prevented him from working in the moving industry, and when they returned to Sanford, they struggled to find stability.

Eventually, Kenneth came to Rescue Outreach Mission for help, the place he had seen for years but didn’t know exactly what they did.

“They’ve been nothing but great since I’ve been here,” Kenneth says. “They give you the resources you need to help yourself get back to living. It’s a great stepping stone, giving you the time to get back on your feet.”

Kenneth moved into a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that he could afford with his disability payments.

His advice to others who come to Rescue Outreach Mission?

“Don’t use this for a campground, an eating place, a place to lounge around,” he says. “You have to meet with your case managers, and have a plan that you are always working.”