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Success Stories
RAGS TO RICHES …… TO RAGS
Larry and I began our fascinating journey together in December of 1995. That first step of our journey occurred on a busy Saturday in our Toronto office
furniture store. A customer was disappointed to find out that his purchase of a used desk could not be delivered the same day. He then proceeded to flag down the first van travelling along Queen West
and approached the driver, asking if he wanted to make some money delivering a desk. It turned out that Larry, the driver of the van was out of work, so this was the perfect opportunity to make gas
money.
After loading up the van it seemed to me after observing Larry, that there was a special quality about him. I asked him if he were interested in delivering chairs to replace our existing somewhat erratic courier service. Larry explained that he was a recovering alcoholic and was struggling with numerous problems that were associated with having lived on and off the streets for twenty years. So he was therefore not sure, because of his ragtag life, that he could believe in himself enough to handle a regular commitment at this time.
We discussed that we would need him to deliver chairs two or three times a week, if he could make himself available on short notice. This arrangement worked well for six weeks until one day
Larry asked if his roommate could take his place on a delivery while he went on an errand. The delivery did not go well and we decided to revert back to our original courier service we had been using
before Larry. We were then out of contact with Larry for three years until he appeared at our store to bring us a gift. It was a book called,
"The Life You Were Born To Live". Larry announced that because we had given him the idea and opportunity to be a courier he had started his own delivery service in Toronto, and just wanted to say thanks for giving him a chance. He mentioned that every day was difficult and that his problems were still a source of frustration, but he was making progress and now acknowledged the positive aspects of his life. As we grew to know more about Larry, we learned that he enjoys photography. Larry even had a photographic display at City Hall titled "Photos from the Street", where he captured the clarity of homelessness with the world in the background.
Larry has been delivering furniture for our store now for the past five years, and the arrangement has worked well for both of us. We can count on his reliability and good nature, and
he can fill in some of his delivery gaps with our business.
Then about two years ago, we asked Larry if he wanted to pickup excess used clothes from a charity that sells clothing at their
second hand store, and uses the proceeds to send underprivileged kids to summer camp. Larry agreed to pick up the unsaleable used clothing and deliver the excess to a wholesaler who makes them into
rags. The charity then has steady revenue from these unwanted clothes, and Larry makes extra money on the transformation from unwanted clothes to rags.
Today, Larry has many blessings in his
personal, business, and spiritual life. He has been alcohol free for nine years, and like a skilled photographer has put things into focus, his problems are fewer now that he and others believe in
him, he feels blessed having gone from rags to riches and ……..back to rags again!
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