In the first part of our episode, we hear from Marine veteran Matthew Raymond, a resident during the recording of the interview who has since successfully moved on. After years of work that didn’t fulfill him, Matt is finally getting back to the passion he’s felt since childhood: fixing cars.

Air Force Master Sergeant Lionel Leblanc, a WWII veteran and a regular benefactor of Liberty House, stops by to talk about what keeps him coming back and the importance of veteran-specific housing.

First, because we believe that stories are the currency of human connection. The sharing of experiences can break down boundaries, forge new paths, and force us to see each other as individuals with complex and varied histories instead of “types†dictated by circumstance.

Second, because anyone who has heard the clink of quarters against pennies, be it in a plastic cup or the bottom of a purse, knows that one has to move beyond spare change to impact chronic homelessness.

Lastly, the show is called Beyond Spare Change out of respect for the work the men and women who have passed through Liberty House have done on themselves and their lives. It’s no mean feat to find work after unemployment and homelessness. It’s no mean feat to struggle with addiction and maintain one’s sobriety. Above all, Beyond Spare Change is dedicated to our hardworking residents.

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