Make a difference: New London Homeless Hospitality Center

WHO: Dan, a 50-year-old homeless man.

AGENCY: New London Homeless Hospitality Center, an agency that serves the homeless of New London County by staffing the overnight shelter at St. James Episcopal Church in New London.

HIS SITUATION: Dan has been out of work for more than two years after being laid off from his job. His unemployment benefits exhausted and no jobs to be found, Dan finally ended up in the shelter. Recently, however, a one-day job gave him the chance to show what he could do. Impressed by his work ethic, Dan's employer has extended his employment, and there is hope that this could turn into something permanent.

What Dan needs to help him succeed at work is a stable place to live. He can afford the rent for a small apartment, but saving up for a security deposit will keep him in the shelter for many additional weeks. One-time help with a security deposit could get him housed right away, freeing up space in the shelter for others and giving Dan the best shot at making a success of his new job.

WHAT TO GIVE: Donate to the rotating security deposit fund at the New London Homeless Hospitality Center. The center provides the security deposit for shelter guests and gets any unused deposit back to use for other people when the lease is up.

TO DONATE: Contact the New London Homeless Hospitality Center at

(860) 439-1573. For more information, visit the center's website at NLHHC.org.