A homeless man finally has a roof over his head thanks to a homemade sign and the kindness of strangers.
A Wakefield homeless man has spoken out about his gratitude after his homemade sign led to him getting a roof over his head.
People have shouted at him, spat at him and accused him of being a drug-addict, Yorkshire Live reports.
Michael, who is originally from Doncaster, has been on the streets on and off for years – he said he has struggled with money and difficult landlords that have made it hard to hold down a place.
He told YorkshireLive :”I don’t like begging – I find it quite degrading. I’ve been spat on, punched, accused of only asking for money to take drugs.
“I’m just someone that’s fallen on hard times – I’ve been up and down throughout my life and I’ve just been wanting somewhere to call home recently.
“I said to myself: ‘I want to be off of the streets before Christmas’ and now people have given me that Christmas present.”
Tired of being shouted at, Michael made a sign and brought it with him to where he sits outside Wakefield Aldi.
The sign reads: “I’m Michael, I don’t do drugs or alcohol – I’m just unlucky to of become homeless. I’m looking for work or any odd jobs. Thank you for your help and kindness, Michael.”
He was approached by a woman named Mollie May who shared his sign on Facebook and encouraged passers-by to give him a chance or let her know if they could offer him any work.
While Michael hasn’t yet managed to get a job – more and more people stopped to donate to him or grab him something to eat.
He raised £150, which he said he has now taken to Dominion Housing Services, which provide unemployed people with housing in Wakefield.
He has been given a place to stay, and is now hoping to furnish it with some essentials such as a toaster and a TV if he can raise the funds.
I’m starting from scratch, but I’m working my way up,” he said.
“It’s a fresh start and I hope it will be a new chapter of my life. It feels brilliant – I can’t thank the public enough. They helped me in a big way.
“Now I’m off of the streets I’m going to grab this opportunity with both hands and not let it go.”
Source:mirror.co.uk, examinerlive.co.uk