A community effort is underway to help Jonathan, an unsheltered man in southwest Las Vegas, find housing and steady work. The effort grew out of his friendship with Erin Pierson-Mills, general manager of McKee Ranch, after her Doberman, Bosco, approached him during one of their walks at a Las Vegas park.
Pierson-Mills told KSNV that she gradually learned about Jonathan’s family losses in Georgia, his difficulties with comprehension, and the job and housing setbacks that preceded his homelessness. The station reported that he had worked at a gas station before losing that job after a management change and later losing his apartment.
Jonathan has since found weekend work washing dishes, but he remains unsheltered and has had to travel by foot to reach his job near the Silverton hotel and the outlet mall, according to KSNV’s account. Strangers have helped him during the summer, and a McKee Ranch client donated a bicycle. He is saving toward housing while Pierson-Mills and other supporters look for a more stable arrangement.
A GoFundMe Aims to Close the Gap
Pierson-Mills has asked the community to help Jonathan secure a small apartment closer to the ranch, and she hopes to eventually bring him on to work at McKee Ranch during the week, the station reported. Supporter Leslie McGarry organized a GoFundMe campaign on Jonathan’s behalf. Launched earlier this month, the fundraiser sets a goal of $3,500 to cover move-in costs and rent.
What help is available
For a single adult without children who is experiencing homelessness, Clark County Social Services serves as Southern Nevada’s coordinated intake hub…