Ron is a Marine Veteran who was first incarcerated at the age of 20, but it wasn’t until he was released from prison after his third conviction and an aggregate of 12.5 years in DOC custody that Ron knew something had to change, “I decided it was time to work for my money.”  So, when given the opportunity, Ron enrolled in the Heating and Cooling program as well as the Computer Programming program at Vatterott College.

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Having struggled with substance abuse issues, Ron took a pen and paper, to share his story.  He successfully wrote, and published Drug World and Drug World, The Truth, both of which can be found on Amazon, and is currently seeking funds to have his third book, John the Baptist, edited and published. 

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Since his release in 1998 Ron stayed true to his word and has worked various jobs at Battery Handling Systems, Home Depot, and Busch Stadium and was well on his way to a successful re-entry.  Unfortunately, in November of 2017, Ron found himself homeless after being evicted following an altercation with the owner of a hotel where he and his wife were living.

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“I was homeless in the middle of winter and nowhere to stay.” Ron knew he could resort to old habits, which would have landed him back in prison, but he made his way to the St. Patrick Center.  It was there that he learned about the CJM Veteran Housing Program and other services CJM provides that would allow Ron to continue his journey outside of prison walls.   

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When asked what impact CJM has had on his re-entry, Ron candidly replied, “I hadn’t ever been homeless, and I had nowhere to go, and they helped me realize that running my mouth and forcing my opinions got me in the street…they helped me learn to control my attitude and behavior.”  

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Just this month, Ron moved into the St. Andrews Apartments for Senior Citizens, is getting his new apartment furnished, and is starting to make new friends, but remains hyper focused on securing the funds needed to get John the Baptist to market.