After recovering from addiction and living on the streets, Denver man urges people to "spread the warmth"
Forced to live on the streets because of addiction and job loss, Michael Allen finally hit a point where he wanted to change.
"I used to say I'm no better than anybody else, but I would like better for me," Allen said. "It gives me a good place to turn my life around. For me myself, I step back and look at what I've done over the years and it's like, 'do I really want to live like that anymore?'' And I tell myself, 'no'."
He's now part of the New Life Program at the Denver Rescue Mission which provides men with housing and life skills and sets guests up for a path toward job security and a permanent place to live.
"The program gives you self-confidence, self-esteem, and respect for yourself," Allen said.
Allen spent 45 days at the Lawrence Street shelter and that made him eligible for other programs the Denver Rescue Mission offers. He's now working at the donation center in north Denver accepting items and moving items around with a forklift.
"It's repetition, it's really not hard. I mean you get really busy like we are today. I mean, that bell is the donation bell which means I've got to drop what I'm doing and go help people at the dock," Allen said.
When he's not on the job, he's spent countless hours working to improve himself with his case manager alongside.
"I call her the best case manager ever. She cares, and that's really a plus to have somebody care in her position," Allen said.
MORE FROM CBS COLORADO: Spread the Warmth
"He actually set a record for attending the most community groups within the first month that he lived here. If that isn't a testament about Mike, I don't know what is," Kellie Dietz said about Allen. Dietz oversees a few dozen men in the New Life Program.
"I have a really big passion for helping people, especially the guys that come through this program. They work so hard to get to where they are today. Just being able to be a good support person for them is really kind of my own calling in life," Dietz said.
Allen should graduate from the program in a few weeks.
"I'm proud of myself right now. I'm happy," Allen said. "I'm where I'm supposed to be and I feel like God put me here."
LINK: Spread The Warmth
