FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The US Department of Housing and Urban Development says nearly 40,000 veterans are homeless on any given night.

That’s one of the reasons this year’s WOWO Penny Pitch recipient is Shepherd’s House, a Fort Wayne organization dedicated to providing shelter and help for veterans who are hoemeless, with a particular focus on those struggling with addictions.

Gerald Parson is a current resident of the house and likens it to a “new beginning”:

“Going through the things that I’ve gone through, to get there, and once you get there, the support they give you and the different outlets they do it with… I hadn’t had a driver’s license for 28 years. After getting help from them, I was able to get that,” Parson says. “They have a very positive program… each meeting is a different way of obtaining a new self, and building one’s confidence, and giving hope.”

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