Rick Jacobs is a focused man. Despite being homeless and living a life he once thought was “going nowhere,” he managed to do something a lot of people in his shoes haven’t done. He graduated from college. On June 6, 2009, Rick graduated from Monterey Peninsula College with an Associates Degree and is continuing to take classes toward a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, something he already has experience doing. A Vietnam Vet, Rick was given the opportunity to return to school through a Veterans grant and started taking just one class at a time. He has three remaining semesters at MPC and hopes to move on to Cuesta College to study graphics and design and eventually transfer to Cal Poly.

Rick is a client of our Good Samaritan Center and admits that he made some mistakes with drugs and alcohol that led to him being homeless. Not anymore though. He’s still homeless, but clean and sober. However, he says it’s not so bad because he at least has a truck to sleep in. “I’m happy.” Coming to the Good Samaritan Center has kept him encouraged and helped him to stay focused on the most important things. For him right now that is finishing school. When he’s done with school he hopes to become licensed and go to work for a firm, design some nice buildings and make a decent living.

In addition to accomplishing his own goals, he’s also helping to inspire others to get back on their feet and get an education in hopes of a good job. “If it inspires someone else, more power to it. Hopefully they’ll see me and say ‘If this guy can do it, I can too’.”