A homeless veteran is getting back on his feet thanks to a collective effort from the community and authorities from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Just in time for Christmas, a homeless veteran has a vehicle that runs and soon will have an apartment to call home.
According to the Carson Sheriff’s Station, a string of phone calls about an abandoned vehicle started a chain reaction for a desperate veteran to receive the social services he needed.
On Nov. 23, the sheriff’s station shared that officers met with the owner of the abandoned vehicle and found out he was homeless, a veteran and could not afford the repairs on his broken-down SUV.
“Deputies considered towing the vehicle for being abandoned, however, that would only displace a homeless veteran even further,” the station wrote in a Facebook post. “Deputies used engagement versus enforcement and came up with a better solution.”
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Deputies arranged for the vehicle to be towed to a local auto repair shop at no cost.
“Joe Kruger, from ‘Kruger Tow’ had the vehicle moved free of charge to ‘Rick’s Lube Complete AutoCare.’ Dignity Health Sports Park volunteered to pay for the cost of vehicle repairs,” the sheriff’s station wrote.
“A great example of Dignity Health Sports Park engagement and service to the City of Carson! ‘Rick’s Lube’ donated the parts and labor needed to get the vehicle in working order at no cost to the owner.”
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Meanwhile, deputies made temporary sleeping arrangements for the homeless man while an application for veteran’s housing was processed.
“With help from the Second Supervisorial District of the Board of Supervisors, the application for Veteran’s Affairs Supportive Housing was expedited to locate an apartment for the Veteran,” the department wrote.
“In the meantime, a temporary bed from United States Veterans Initiative was made available for him to sleep.”
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The department thanked county and federal agencies as well as local business owners for working together to help the veteran.
“I’m extremely proud of this story from our Carson Sheriff’s Station,” Sheriff Alex Villanueva told KTTV-TV in Los Angeles. “A great example of the good work we can accomplish when we all work together to help everyone in the communities we serve!”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.