Posted on 12/26/2004 12:56:17 PM PST by traumer
DENVER -- The 300 residents of the Samaritan House homeless shelter didn't know what to expect when a 40-something man with a gray beard parked his black SUV in front of the shelter on Christmas Eve.
The man walked into the building with a thick roll of $100 bills and began passing them out to each resident. When he was done, he had distributed $35,000.
"It was like seeing Santa Claus and God all at once," said William Chengelis, who has lived at the shelter since November. "You hear about stuff like that but you don't think you'll be there when it happens."
As a crowd gathered around the anonymous donor, he told residents he had once been in a similar situation and knew what it was like to be needy. He said he lived in Denver but had also distributed money at a Las Vegas shelter.
Possibly his biggest single donation was $5,000 to a family of six who had been in the shelter for several days. Louis Quezada, Tessa Wittner and their four children had been living with Quezada's parents but were thrown out after an argument.
"(The benefactor) came out of his truck and talked to us," said Quezada, 23. "He asked if he gave us the money, would we get a house with it. We said yes."
Wittner, 21, said the gift was an answer to her prayers.
After receiving the money, the family went to the Fountain of Life church in Aurora to give thanks. The church's pastor, Joseph Ross, met the family a week ago and helped arrange room for them at Samaritan House.
"It's incredible, we're blessed," Ross told the congregation.
He said the church would help the family find a home, buy a car and become self-sufficient.
I wouldn't have done that if I were a billionaire. They had a place to stay with family, but ended up bringing their kids to a homeless shelter because they couldn't get along? I suspect that the money will not be used wisely, due to the demonstrated immaturity. I hope I'm wrong.
Good one. I just spit soda all of the desk.
I dunno. Unlike federal welfare, it's his money, not somebody else's. And we don't know whose fault the quarrel with the parents was. If this young couple are serious maybe they can pull it together.
Once my cousin gave some money to a friend of mine and I told him the same thing. His response was that he knew the intent of his heart in giving the money and that was what was most important to him.
The "homeless" get free booze and drugs for the holidays! Yay!
I thought the liberal mantra was the homeless were a permanent underclass.
Or a liquor store owner.
ROTFLMAO............Merry Christmas.......:o)
Hmmm. Sounds like some here have not been humbled by the Almighty. Just thank God you're not in their shoes.
If I told you what I've been through in the last two years, you'd cry. I know whereof I speak, and I'm glad I can share a laugh about it now.
This guy must be a liberal ... NOT!
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