Emmitt Donahue said before Salvation Army Temple opened its 24-bed men's shelter on Oct. 10, he slept in parks and hotels.
Moving from Louisiana to Texas was supposed to mean a fresh start for Donahue.
"I had nothing planned. I had nothing you know to look forward to, but I always had the spirit and the desire in my heart to know that I can make it," Donahue said.
However, for the last six months, Donahue struggled to keep a roof over his head.
"I was staying in hotels you know until I got to the point where I couldn't afford to," said Donahue.
Donahue was left to live in a park until the team at Salvation Army Temple provided an open door for him through their new men's shelter
"They have all type of people that are willing to help and amazing people," said Donahue.
"They get three meals a day. Here in our Center of Hope, they have access to computers, to a library, laundry facilities," said Lt. Chantel Millin, Commanding Officer at Salvation Army Temple.
Donahue, along with the men in the shelter, works with case managers.
"With a goal of one, getting enough money to sustain themselves, and then secondly, the case manager works to find places that they can be rehoused," said Millin.
Donahue said he has already found a job.
"I just got a contract deal with this amazing company that's out of Miami. I'm supposed to start this truck driving situation," said Donahue.
On Saturday at 3 p.m., the Salvation Army will host a dedication ceremony for the new men's shelter.
The Salvation Army campus in Temple also has a four-bed women and family shelter that opened up in 2016.
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