journey home a hand up

• A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
• 53 people are interested

A Hand Up Program - Furniture for Folks Moving out of Homelessness Save to Favorites

Organization: journey home.

At Journey Home we have a furniture program called, A Hand Up. Through the A Hand Up (AHU) program, we have volunteers that go out to collect and distribute furniture and household goods to individuals, families, veterans, and youth moving out of homelessness. Many of those that are moving out of homelessness move into their homes with only what they have been able to carry from shelter to shelter. Some clothes, toiletries, thats about it! This program helps them start fresh and helps them feel at home with tables to eat at, beds to sleep on, and a couch to relax on after a long day. We currently serve approximately 300-350 households each year. But with your help we can increase those numbers and help clients get what they need more quickly. Volunteer opportunities are currently available 7 days a week between 10a-12p each day, as long as we have a team ready to go out. We are hoping that with more volunteers joining us, that we will be able to add in afternoon, and additional weekend shifts to make an even bigger difference in the Greater Hartford Area! Will you join us?

• 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM 7 Days a week - we send groups out to help collect and distribute furniture and household goods to people moving out of homelessness
• NONE OF THESE TIMES WORK FOR ME, BUT I CAN STILL HELP

More opportunities with Journey Home

No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.

About Journey Home

PO Box 260727, Hartford, CT 06126, US

Mission Statement

Journey Home works collaboratively for sustainable solutions to homelessness in the Greater Hartford Area. Journey Home is committed to fostering a caring community that ensures a home for all. We give life to this mission through: Encouraging collaboration Facilitating innovation Advocating for justice

Description

Journey Home is a nonprofit organization leading the implementation of the Opening Doors: Greater Hartford plan to end homelessness. Journey Home works with all stakeholders to lead the local effort to analyze current systems, identify gaps, and create efficiencies to end homelessness in the Capitol Region. Journey Home is not a shelter or a social service agency, but rather a facilitator, convener, and catalyst for regional change.

• Implement the Opening Doors: Greater Hartford plan to end homelessness
• Support the shelter, housing, and supportive service systems
• Create or replicate best practices through collaborative initiatives
• Measure progress towards ending homelessness

CAUSE AREAS

635 New Park Avenue West Hartford, CT 06110

DATE POSTED

March 18, 2024

• Truck Driving
• Warehousing
• Interior Design
• Woodworking

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be at least 16
• 2 hours minimum
• Ability to move furniture and work well with others. Ability to drive or have someone to drive you from location to location on pick up and delivery days.

Report this opportunity

• Skip to main content
• Create Account
• Emergency Services

Behavioral Health

• Services Find Services Update Any Listing Add New Agency NOC Inclusion Policy Services Menu Zone Home Health Agencies Hospital Ratings Nursing Homes Practitioner Search Care Guide Emergency Services Services Menu Zone
• Health Library Health Library Home Search Medications Medical Tests and Procedures Health Categories Health Library Menu Zone Interactive Tools Symptom Checker Behavioral Health Recovery Learning Centers Other Resources Health Library Menu Zone
• Legislate Legislate Legislate Home STATE Bills In Progress Our Officials Legislator Search Overview of Process Voter Registration Legislative Calendar Suggest a Bill FEDERAL Bills In Progress Our Officials Legislator Search Overview of Process Glossary of Terms Legislative Calendar Suggest a Bill
• Community Resources Community Resources Home Community Events Resource Links Support & Advocacy Nationwide News Community Left Column Zone Opioid Resources Suicide Prevention and Support Disaster Mental Health Clinical Trials Community Right Column Zone
• Health Care Health Care Home State/Federal Funded Programs Affordable Care Act HRSA-Supported Health Centers Mental Health Parity Act
• My Account My Account Dashboard Events Favorites My PHR Messages Emergency Card Suicide Prevention Plan Care Coordination Card Visitor Access Manage Profile Change Password

Health Library

Health care, community resources, get directions to:.

Enter your location in the field below and we will find the best way to get there.

"For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothes. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me."  Matthew 25:35-36 (NLT)

A Hand Up Transitional Living is a faith based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry  established to aid families who, due to financial hardship, are not able to secure adequate housing for their family. A Hand Up is not a homeless shelter, it's where un-housed families can live until they get back on their feet.  A Hand Up was established by Levi and JoAnn Harris who want to show their Love of Christ by helping people in their community. They began their ministry by providing "love bags" full of toiletries to people at the "tent cities" in Huntsville, Alabama. They also volunteered at different community events to feed, clothe and minister to the un-housed. Levi and JoAnn soon realized that the un-housed needed more than just a free meal or just a hand out. They wanted to give them A Hand Up , a way out of their situation.

  OUR MISSION

To provide a safe environment for struggling families, giving back dignity and respect, while fostering self-sufficiency.

Our desire is to provide short-term shelter to families who suddenly find themselves without a home, and give them the resources they need to achieve long-term success. We will provide A Hand Up instead of a hand-out.

A Hand Up will accept only families with minor children. Children will be required to attend school; parents will be required to go to a job or job training daily.

WHY WE NEED THIS

According to the North Alabama Continuum of Care, there are approximately 500 people in our homeless population. Homelessness has increased 2% every year from 2010 until 2019. However, since the pandemic from 2019 to 2022, the increase was 7%. Families in traditional homeless shelters are separated due to shelter restrictions. Additionally, there are un-housed families that are not included in the homeless population estimate because they are living in their vehicles, or living in unsafe situations because they have no place else to go.

A Hand Up will support families by offering transitional ho using for up to one year. Clients will be assigned a case management specialist to provide housing assistance and help clients with obtaining job and life skills training. The goal is to achieve job security and permanent housing. A Hand Up was established when a need for more resources to assist the un-housed in Huntsville was identified. When helping to feed the un-housed through another ministry, the Director realized that most of the organizations in the Huntsville area attempting to help the un-housed, were only handing out food. Building off that, she realized that a more stable environment and easier access to resources are more important factors to helping the un-housed.

The old proverb says, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat today, teach a man to fish and he’ll eat every day.” Remembering the days of her own homelessness with two small children, the founder of A Hand Up , intentionally designed the organization to give people the tools they need to be successful. Teaching people how to effectively use the right tools goes much farther than a mere hand out.                                                                                                                                      

A Hand Up will help mothers and/or fathers with children who are facing homelessness, currently un-housed, living on the street, in their car, or in short-term shelters. The longer a family is un-housed, the harder and more expensive it becomes to re-house them. Rapid re-housing helps families move off the street, to a transitional shelter, and into stable housing as quickly as possible. Adding to the stigma of being un-housed, another discouraging factor that most families face is separation. There are few temporary facilities available that keep the family together. Programs that focus on and address the entire need of the family are most successful in getting the family to contribute to their success.

• Who We Serve

As a volunteer, you can help the Presbyterian Night Shelter guide the journey from homeless to home for Fort Worth’s homeless community.

Meal Serving

Prepare and serve dinner at the following locations: Karl Travis Men's Center, Safe Haven, Patriot House and Morris Foundation Women and Children’s Center. Additionally, there is an opportunity to serve lunch at True Worth Place. These opportunities are available seven days a week. Volunteers can also choose to cater meals for our guests.

In-Kind Donation Organizing

Over the course of a year, we receive over 300,000 in-kind donation items that must be sorted and organized across campus.

Children’s Enrichment Activities

There is a significant need for enrichment activities for our homeless families. We welcome volunteers who would like to assist us in finding creative and engaging activities for our families.

Interior/Exterior Beautification

During the course of the year, there will be opportunities to refresh multiple areas of the shelter.

True Worth Place Opportunities

At our central resource center and day shelter, volunteers can:

• Receive and sort mail for guests who use True Worth Place as their address
• Welcome guests at the front desk and offer assistance with any general questions
• Wash, dry, fold and label each guest's laundry for pickup in the afternoon
• Assist with life enrichment classes

Learn and Share

One of the easiest ways to support Presbyterian Night Shelter is just a click away! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date on what is happening at Presbyterian Night Shelter and share the incredible stories and life-changing work with your friends and family.

Facebook Instagram YouTube

As part of our growing family of supporters, we value your privacy and confidentiality at the Presbyterian Night Shelter. Please view our Donor Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.

Donor Privacy and Confidentiality Policy

Create opportunity for change through business

Looking for resources, or have a friend in need?

Get Help Now

Support any way you're called to give.

A Hand Up Community Resource Center | Help Is Just A Hand Away

Help Is Just a Hand Away!

Everyone deserves a decent standard of living, and no one should go without what they need to live a meaningful and successful life.

Our 2nd Annual Heart & Hope Charity event was a memorable night!

We are overwhelmed with gratitude as we reflect on the incredible success of our annual fundraiser. With your unwavering support and generosity, we commemorated our fifth anniversary, met new friends, and raised enough funds to support our Spring 2024 Financial Empowerment program.  

We extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who sponsored, donated, volunteered, and advocated on our behalf. For all who joined us at our event, we trust that you gained sufficient insight into our programs to inspire your involvement in our mission. We invite you to stay connected.  Follow us on social media, and join us at upcoming events. Your ongoing support is invaluable – we look forward to serving alongside you!

Our Mission

A Hand Up Community Resource center is a 501(c) 3 faith-based charity that connects the economically vulnerable to life-sustaining resources that provide hope and a better quality of life. We believe that everyone deserves a decent standard of living, and no one should go without what they need to live a meaningful life. Since our inception in 2018, we have worked untiringly to stand in the gap for those struggling to make ends meet by providing other alternatives such as financial literacy education to prevent joblessness and homelessness in our community. 

What participants say about our Financial Empowerment program ...

“I learned first-hand how to manage my finances and how important it is to sacrifice for a little while if I want to get results for the long haul.”

“I love this program! It’s a must in everyone’s life! Thanks so much!”

“This program has been very informative; classwork/homework/coaching was very challenging; topics covered were very interesting and a super benefit. I will recommend this program to others.”

“I’m glad I was able to participate. It gave me the information I needed to start my financial journey.”

“I have so enjoyed this class, other participants and **especially so ** my weekly meetings with my Coach! Ms. Marshall has been patient, insightful and very giving of her time. Working with Ms. Marshall has truly been a delight. Thank you.”

“I loved the program and wish it had on going classes and meetups”

“I am so grateful to have participated in this program! I can truly say that I feel like I have been equipped with some useful tools and skills to make better financial decisions. I am more confident now, than I was before!”

“I really feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to be in the program and meet so many wonderful and knowledgeable people. I especially appreciate Ms. Chandra and Ms. Ebony.   Ms. Ebony was a wonderful mentor and very helpful in building my confidence when it came to finances.”

Donate Today!

Thank you for your support.

Thank You!  Compassionate people like you know how vital our services are to those working long hours, while still having difficulty making ends meet.  These are our neighbors, one paycheck away from financial crisis. Your generosity will provide stability for single mothers, seniors and the homeless among others.

A Hand Up is a faith-based organization that endeavors to connect the economically vulnerable to life-sustaining resources that provide hope and a better quality of life.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW!

PRIVACY POLICY

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Get updates on upcoming events and community programs.

First Name Last Name Email address

PO Box 16066 Louisville, KY 40256

[email protected]

Helping people achieve the dream of  home ownership

Who We Help

Susan, as a young professional in the Bay Area, wanted desperately to buy a home. Susan saw home ownership as a gate way to housing stability and wealth generation.  She didn't have family money to get her started and couldn't save enough for the down payment.   An acquaintance saw Susan's determination to succeed and invested in a starter home with her.  Susan shared this inspiring story with Jodi and a plan was hatched to help others who are hungry to realize that dream.  We have a passion for real estate and for helping hard working, qualified people get a foot hold into home ownership.

We build and own starter homes.  You finance the % of a home you can afford through our lending partner, and we become co-owners.  You, as the owner-occupant, live in the home, make your mortgage payments, and manage a rental unit on the property resulting in an additional shared revenue stream.  At the end of 3-8 years the goal is that you buy us out and own the home outright. This is not a rent to own or lease to own!  You will build equity from day one!

You have stable/ steady employment, good credit, and the ability to pay closing costs and/or part of a down payment. You are on an upward income trajectory with solid career goals in view and an understanding that real estate brings not only stability to housing,  but also generates real wealth. You are hungry to get into real estate and need a break to get started. You possess an ability to think out of the box and realize that your first home may not be your forever home.  Most importantly , you see that the sooner you can get into home ownership the better.

Copyright © 2018 A Hand Up Home - All Rights Reserved.

Announcement

Welcome!  We have a home in the Sunnyland neighborhood 

that will soon be available!

They got their son a pet octopus. Weeks later, there were 50 more.

Cameron Clifford had finally given in to his son’s pleas and bought him a pet octopus. After several weeks, he was getting the hang of caring for their new tentacled pet — then he discovered what looked liked dozens of “puffed-up, clear Tic Tacs” inside its den.

Terrance was not a male octopus, as they had first thought. Her new tank in Cal Clifford’s bedroom was filled with dozens of eggs.

But that was only the first twist in a saga playing out in Edmond, Okla., that captivated thousands of people on social media. The biggest surprise, Clifford said, actually came one night in February, when he picked up one of the eggs — which he had long assumed weren’t fertilized — and accidentally popped it. What he thought was a “blob of some strange liquid” came out and fell back into the tank.

Seconds later, that blob started swimming. It was a tiny version of Terrance.

“I just screamed my wife’s name,” Clifford, 36, told The Washington Post. “That started the whole stress of it because now we felt this immense responsibility of taking care of these babies.”

Over the next week, the Cliffords tried to catch the hatchlings. Suddenly, the family was tending to 50 baby California two-spot octopuses — also known as bimacs.

The mission to keep them alive has been complex, time-consuming and expensive. Clifford estimates that the special tanks and other equipment they’ve purchased have cost his family about as much as a used car.

But it’s also been joyful, said Clifford, a dentist whose TikTok videos chronicling the ups and downs of caring for octopuses have garnered millions of viewers, brought in support from across the country and been called “nothing short of remarkable” by one expert.

“It’s something that I think a lot of people need because there’s so much bad news in the world,” Clifford said. But he’s quick to add a warning: “Having an octopus is hard. It’s laborsome and expensive. It’s wet. It’s all of the above. So you shouldn’t do it if you’re not prepared to follow through.”

How the Cliffords wound up owning about 90 percent of all octopuses in Oklahoma is a journey that begins with his son’s love of marine biology — especially octopuses. Cal, despite living far from the ocean, had begged for a pet octopus for years. Since he was 2, Cal has requested octopus-themed parties and dressed up as the animal for Halloween.

By the time Cal was 8, Clifford said it was clear it wasn’t just a phase. So one day, Clifford stopped at a local aquarium store and asked if it was possible to buy an octopus.

It was, technically , Clifford recalled an employee telling him, but it wouldn’t be a good first pet.

Clifford mentioned the conversation over dinner, and Cal’s face lit up, he said. When Clifford shared a video of Cal’s reactions with their loved ones, they told him he “was going be the worst father” if he didn’t follow through.

Clifford took the hint and in August bought a secondhand 60-gallon tank. On Cal’s birthday in October, an octopus arrived by mail, swimming inside a bag of water.

Without hesitation, Cal declared the octopus’s name would be Terrance after the mischievous character in the Wayside School children’s book series.

Terrance quickly became a beloved member of the Clifford household, which was why seeing eggs in the tank in December was devastating: Octopuses usually die soon after laying eggs.

After consulting experts, Clifford figured the eggs hadn’t been fertilized since Terrance — whom they now occasionally called Terry — hadn’t been around a male in several weeks. But in February, when Clifford saw an egg that had detached from Terrance’s den and decided to inspect it more closely, baby No. 1 was born: Pearl.

Over the next few days, 49 more babies followed, including Seaoncé, Jay Sea, Swim Shady, Squid Cudi, Bill Nye the Octopi and Champ, who was named by a friend of Clifford’s who is going through cancer treatment.

Turns out it wasn’t a case of “Bimaculate Conception,” as Clifford put it, using a riff on Terrance’s breed. Terrance, who was found off California’s coast, mated before she was caught by a diver. The delayed delivery was a product of octopuses’ ability to withhold laying their eggs until they feel safe.

The prospect of caring for 51 octopuses was daunting, Clifford said. But luckily, he added, he’s not alone. Tim Tytle, 80, a retired radiologist who also owns two octopuses — in addition to thousands of geckos, scores of sea horses and dozens of venomous lizards — has been a big help. The two first met around January, when Tytle found out the Cliffords were the only other private octopus owners in Oklahoma and have been a source of support for each other ever since, Tytle said.

Clifford said Tytle was his first call the night he discovered baby Pearl. Soon, the two were scouring books and brainstorming how to get the right food and containers for the hatchlings.

A lot of the octopus babies died in the beginning, especially in their transport to Tytle’s place after a leak upended Clifford’s home. But Tytle said they’ve learned a lot, “and now it’s so much easier.”

Tytle owns a duplex where he keeps most of his pets, and the 23 remaining octopuses now live there. The babies are fed a daily serving of live mysid shrimp Tytle sources from the East Coast. Each octopus is kept in its own plastic container to prevent cannibalization. Soon, they’ll move to a new, 180-gallon tank worth upward of $10,000 that Tytle purchased.

Raising the sea creatures is expensive and time-consuming, but Tytle said the “amazing” animals are worth it.

“They’re very intelligent ,” he said. “Octopuses know one person for another and can change color by just snapping your fingers.”

Clifford and Tytle are now on a mission to find good homes for the octopuses. Clifford even hired an intern to help contact research institutes, aquariums and sanctuaries. Though lots of people have volunteered to take a miniature Terrance, Clifford said they won’t give the babies to private owners. So far, some researchers and professors have expressed interest, he said.

Paul Clarkson, director of husbandry operations at California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium, said finding aquariums to take the babies could prove difficult. Bimacs don’t necessarily have the wow factor associated with other breeds, like the giant Pacific octopus . Still, he applauded Clifford’s efforts to find places that can properly care for the octopuses.

Clarkson admits he’s skeptical of families trying to raise octopuses, but said seeing what the Cliffords accomplished is “pretty remarkable” — especially since octopuses have such a high mortality rate when they’re young.

While he cautioned that octopuses probably don’t belong in most households, Clarkson said he’s delighted that the Cliffords’ journey has introduced more people to the mysterious species.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if 10 to 20 years down the line, there’s some young marine biologist saying, ‘Oh, yeah, it was Terrance the octopus that got me jazzed about this,’” Clarkson said. “It’s just like when I was watching Jacques Cousteau videos when I was a kid.”

We are a team of innovative problem solvers who are passionate about ending homelessness in our community. Founded in 2007 as the agency responsible for implementing Hartford’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness , Journey Home has grown to become a strategic leader and valued partner for homeless service providers throughout the region.

Journey Home has spent more than a decade committed to ending homelessness in Connecticut’s Capital Region.

We apply sustainable solutions to the barriers that create cycles of homelessness. We are proud to be a lead agency within the Greater Hartford and Central Coordinated Access Network, developer of the Career Pathways Employment Program , and creator of A Hand Up .

Journey Home works each day: 

• To prevent as many people as possible from losing their housing
• To increase the speed at which we find housing for anyone who is already experiencing homelessness
• To help folks move into their homes and provide furnishings and household items
• To help them gain the income and services they need to never become homeless again

WHO WE SERVE

Hartford has the highest concentration of individuals experiencing homelessness in Connecticut; accounting for 25% of the state’s homeless households.

Our efforts are making a clear difference as we have reached the lowest number of people experiencing chronic homelessness ever, an 86% decrease since 2015.  

We have also increased the shelter diversion in the Capitol Region to 61%.  In other words, in 2021, 61% of everyone who had a housing crisis and who called 211 and attended their shelter diversion appointment were provided assistance which prevented them from becoming homeless.

Journey Home, aided by the tireless work of our strategic partners , the generous support of our donors and the compassion and enthusiasm of our volunteers , is on-track to end homelessness in Connecticut’s Capital Region for good.

SUPPORTING THE CAPITAL REGION OF CONNECTICUT

Andover, Avon, Berlin, Bloomfield, Bolton, Bristol, Canton, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Hartford, Hebron, Manchester, Marlborough, New Britain, Newington, Plainville, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, Somers, Southington, South Windsor, Stafford, Suffield, Tolland, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor & Windsor Locks

THE CORE OF OUR WORK

Coordinated Access is a standardized method for accessing housing/homeless services from the point that a household experiences homelessness to the point that they are again stably housed. It requires standardized and written protocols, assessment tools, and agreed upon priorities among the community who serve those experiencing homelessness. Click here to read more about the core of our work: Coordinated Access Network.

OUR JOURNEY

2021  ·  Achieved 90% reduction in chronic homelessness, and 60% reduction in overall homelessness

2020  ·  Awarded $5.5 million of federal funds to lead local Covid response and recovery

2019 ·  A Hand Up merges with Journey Home

2018 ·  Career Pathways Employment Program launched. Northern Central Region Community Care Team launched

2017  · Achieved 70% reduction in chronic homelessness.  Began serving as Coordinator for the Central Connecticut Coordinated Access Network

2016 ·  Ended Veterans Homelessness. Expanded Our Mission to Include Youth & Family Homelessness

2015 ·  100 Day Rapid Results Campaign Completed!

2014 ·  Implemented the Aerospace Employment Placement Program. Implemented Greater Hartford Coordinated Access Network.

2013 ·  Launched the Universal Housing Application (UHA)

2012  ·  Launched the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project. Initiated the CT Integrated Healthcare and Housing Neighborhoods program.

2011 · Launched the Moving On Initiative. Established the Consumer Advisory Committee. Hired 2nd Executive Director.

2010 ·  Created the Vulnerability Index Survey and began tracking “medically vulnerable” homeless

2009  ·  Awarded $3.1 million to implement the Capitol Region Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program

2008  ·  Hired 1st Executive Director

2007  ·  Finalized the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness with input from all stakeholder groups (Commission to End Homelessness). Established Journey Home as an independent nonprofit organization to implement the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness

2005  ·  Completed the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness (the Mayor’s Commission to End Homelessness)

2004  ·   Began the planning process for ending homelessness in the Greater Hartford region (City of Hartford)

Journey Home Mission: Our mission is to ensure a home for all.

We believe the most powerful way to do this is collectively - by working together with service providers, elected officials, businesses and local communities to end homelessness in the Capital region of Connecticut. We will build partnerships, advance innovative solutions and achieve enduring, systemic change.

Journey Home

PO Box 260727 Hartford, CT 06126

860-808-0336

[email protected]

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

A moment that changed me: I was paralysed on a climb. Then I made the 100-mile journey back to myself

Seven years after a terrible fall, I teamed up with two other disabled sportsmen to scale Iceland’s highest peak. With each drive of my poles into the snow, I came closer to the man I’d once been

T he view from the top was breathtaking. It was 2023 and I had just climbed the Hvannadals Peak in Iceland , almost seven years after becoming paralysed from the chest down after a climbing fall. Raging winds had been replaced by crystal clear blue skies. My two teammates and I were on our way to becoming the first all-disabled team to cross Europe’s largest ice cap, the mighty Vatnajökull glacier, unsupported and unassisted.

A year before, when Niall McCann first suggested making the 100-mile trip, I was excited by the prospect of returning to this lost world of crevasses, mountains and ice, but apprehensive and anxious about whether I’d struggle. A small part of me thought about how much easier it would be if I could still walk. Back then, I often put a positive spin on my situation, but I still would have given anything for my legs to work and to be able to walk again.

But I was eager for adventure and signed on to do the trip with McCann, who had broken his back when the wing of his paraglider collapsed, and Ed Jackson, a former professional rugby player who had broken his neck in 2017.

From our start point at the western edge of the Vatnajökull, we faced a frozen, hostile landscape. We would need to battle through storm-force winds and work as a team to overcome the limits of our spinal cord injuries. This was going to be the toughest challenge of my life.

The plan was to ascend from the base of theice cap to its highest point, the Hvannadals Peak at 2,110 metres. I stared at the steady, snow-covered incline in front of us. We anticipated it would take four days to reach the summit. Roped together, we started toward the frozen horizon , dragging two sledges laden with gear behind us.

Just 10 minutes into our journey, I was already beginning to feel the strain on my shoulders and arms as I used my upper body to propel my sit-ski up the steady incline. The weight of our gear was a constant form of resistance as it dragged stubbornly through the snow behind us. And yet, with each drive of my poles into the snow, I pushed myself further from civilisation – and closer to the man I’d once been.

My mind drifted to the last time I was on a mountain before my accident, climbing Monte Rosa in the Italian Alps and feeling the addictive mixture of adrenaline, excitement and trepidation. Those same emotions returned as we battled for four days through powerful storms, hidden crevasses and white-out conditions before we reached the ice cap’s highest point.

I was at the top when I was hit by an unexpected wave of emotion. I realised that, despite all that I had been through – all the challenges and setbacks I had faced – if someone asked me if I wanted my legs back, I would have said no.

For the first time since my world had changed, I realised a profound and simple truth – that I wouldn’t go back to the day of my accident and change what happened. I would take the pain of knowing what was to come, in order to experience this moment of triumph. Tears began to roll down my cheeks as I looked at the world beneath me. Somehow, through the trials of the previous six years, I’d found my way back to “me”. They were tears of joy, relief and pride.

After 11 arduous days, and countless falls, slips and setbacks, our team of three approached the eastern edge of the Vatnajökull glacier. We had defied the odds, transcended our physical limitations and emerged victorious.

I realised that this journey was about embracing the power of resilience, finding strength in tough moments, and discovering that I was just as capable as I always had been – I just hadn’t realised it yet.

And so, with renewed determination and a new perspective, a spark of inspiration was born – I was going to sit-ski to the south pole. From that spark of inspiration came a concrete plan to make that dream a reality. In December, I will embark on that journey and will cover 207 miles in the process.

That moment at the summit of the Vatnajökull affected every aspect of my life and the way I perceived my disability. No longer did I consider myself disabled or injured, because, if I could reach the summit of a remote ice cap, I could overcome the frustrations and setbacks of day-to-day life with resilience and tenacity. Yes, I do still have a life-changing injury – but, for me, it’s been for the better.

• Life and style
• A moment that changed me

Most viewed

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Trump's Trials

• LISTEN & FOLLOW
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

Consider This: How do defense attorneys select a jury when their client is famous?

An empty jury box Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/MCT/Landov hide caption

An empty jury box

For this episode of Trump's Trials , we hand the mic over to Consider This . On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom for his first criminal trial. But before a verdict can be rendered a jury must be selected. And for Trump's legal team that is going to be a challenge. A small number of attorneys have faced a similar challenge — how do you select an impartial jury when your client is famous? Host Scott Detrow speaks with attorney Camille Vasquez for insight into the art of jury selection in such a case. She represented Johnny Depp in his defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard. Topics include: - Jury selection - Jury questionnaire - Questioning potential jurors - What to look for in a juror Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials . Email the show at [email protected]

This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and edited by Adam Raney. Our executive producers are Beth Donovan and Sami Yenigun. Eric Marrapodi is NPR's Vice President of News Programming.

• Share full article

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel
• April 14, 2024   •   46:17 The Sunday Read: ‘What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise’
• April 12, 2024   •   34:23 How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam
• April 11, 2024   •   28:39 The Staggering Success of Trump’s Trial Delay Tactics
• April 10, 2024   •   22:49 Trump’s Abortion Dilemma
• April 9, 2024   •   30:48 How Tesla Planted the Seeds for Its Own Potential Downfall
• April 8, 2024   •   30:28 The Eclipse Chaser
• April 7, 2024 The Sunday Read: ‘What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living’
• April 5, 2024   •   29:11 An Engineering Experiment to Cool the Earth

The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial

Here’s what has happened so far in the unprecedented proceedings against a former u.s. president..

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Jonah E. Bromwich

Produced by Rikki Novetsky ,  Will Reid ,  Lynsea Garrison and Rob Szypko

Edited by Paige Cowett

Original music by Dan Powell ,  Marion Lozano and Elisheba Ittoop

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Political and legal history are being made in a Lower Manhattan courtroom as Donald J. Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to undergo a criminal trial.

Jonah Bromwich, who covers criminal justice in New York, explains what happened during the opening days of the trial, which is tied to Mr. Trump’s role in a hush-money payment to a porn star.

On today’s episode

Jonah E. Bromwich , who covers criminal justice in New York for The New York Times.

Background reading

Here’s a recap of the courtroom proceedings so far.

Mr. Trump’s trial enters its third day with seven jurors chosen.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Jonah E. Bromwich covers criminal justice in New York, with a focus on the Manhattan district attorney’s office and state criminal courts in Manhattan. More about Jonah E. Bromwich

Advertisement