The first night out on the streets, Leslie Banks lost all hope.
Looking for refuge and a safe place to sleep, Banks curled up in a park with a sleeping bag and her bike. She fell asleep only to be awakened by the sprinklers in the middle of the night.
With her clothes drenched, she felt the sting of the cold air. She cried and couldn’t stop. She had a thought: “Maybe someone will come and I’ll get lucky and somebody will kill me.”
Banks experienced homelessness for almost 17 years. But now, the 59-year-old has secured a job, a safe place to call home and a burning desire to help those who were just like her.
“Trinity Center means everything for me,” Banks said. “If it wasn’t for Trinity, I’d still be homeless out on the street.”
