NPORTC Magazine

Mr. Ronnie—Been There, Done That, Giving Back with Gratitude Ronald Gaskins Outreach coordinator

T raveling through Baltimore, Ronald Gaskins reaches out—and finds—those in need of treatment and housing. He visits homeless shelters and talks with probation and parole officers. “Anyone that’s coming out, that needs help with the housing, and basically whatever they need, I try to help them.” When clients first arrive, “We connect them with a primary doctor of their own. . . because a lot of them haven't seen doctors in years and years. And we hook them up with a mental health therapist in a one-on-one private session.” Ronald has been there. He himself was at Tuerk House years ago, kicking heroin. “When you see people walking up and down the street, they got no place to go; they got no hope. Me being a former addict, I have been twenty years clean, and I know how hard the struggle is when you're out there. So, when I see people like that, I talk to them, and sometimes it amazes me. . . That’s why I do this type of work—because I'm passionate about it, I enjoy it, and I have to give back.” He adds, “A lot of people think they just don't have nobody to care for them or nowhere to turn because a lot of them burned a lot of bridges, stealing from

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