A native Washingtonian and graduate of Eastern High School, Stephen (STEVE) Thomas got involved with drugs and alcohol at 13 years old. Throughout most of his 53 years Steve struggled with addiction. " I couldn't get rid of the problem because the problem was me ". After years of losing apartment after apartment and job after job, Steve ended up in downtown D.C. where," As I walked along Pennsylvania Ave., I saw people on every bench, and it hit me," They're homeless, and I am too". Steve ended up on a bench three blocks from the White House. " I would have died on the street rather than go into one of those shelters". It got so bad that one cold night Steve prayed for God to end it all. " I prayed for God to cover up the hole that I'd been digging for myself all of my life, but instead of burying me, he planted me". That night a Unity Healthcare van pulled up in front of Steve's bench, and a doctor, Dr. Thomas Garland, "felt my pain" and directed him to Samaritan Inns where he spent 28 days in Intensive Recovery before moving into Transitional Housing. Steve say's that, " God sent him 5 angels, Lynette, Marilyn, Sean, Angie and Roger to pull me through ". Steve now lives in a Single Room Occupancy (SRO). On Nov. 8th 2008, Steve celebrated one year clean and sober. With nothing being more important to Steve than his recovery, he has been able to start his own non-profit organization, S.T.E.V.E., Inc. Striving To End Vagrancy/homelessness Everywhere. He's a speaker for the, Speaker's Bureau , The National Coalition for the Homeless and he holds the title of Director of Community Development with STREATS