From homelessness to hope: Stratford man rebuilding his life with help from community

With the help of an old friend and the Multicultural Association of Perth Huron, Tobi Lawrance (centre) has gone from living on the streets to working full-time, getting his driver’s license and purchasing his first car in the span of just six months. Pictured from left are multicultural association board member Kelly McGarrell, Lawrance and association founder Geza Wordofa.

Just six months ago, Tobi Lawrance was living in a tent in London, unsure of what the future might hold.

Today, he has a full-time job, his G2 driver's licence, financing for his first vehicle and a renewed sense of purpose thanks to the support of an old friend, the Multicultural Association of Perth-Huron and a willingness to embrace change.

Lawrance, 46, recently shared his story alongside Multicultural Association of Perth-Huron founder and executive director Geza Wordofa and board member Kelly McGarrell.

The transformation began late last year when McGarrell, a former high school classmate, came across a Facebook post Lawrance made around his birthday.

"I thought I'd have more than this at 46," Lawrance recalled posting alongside a photo of the tent where he was living.

McGarrell reached out.

"When you see somebody that's like one of your own struggling, I just thought maybe there's something we can do to help Tobi," she said.

The two met for coffee in London and spent the afternoon catching up on decades of life experiences.

"It was really like catching up with an old friend," McGarrell said.

At the time, Lawrance's situation had become dire. He said he had been living in a tent for months, weighed only about 120 pounds and was struggling physically and emotionally.

"I was pretty bad," he said.

A week after that first meeting, McGarrell invited him for dinner. A snowstorm prevented him from returning to his tent and she offered him a place to stay.

"In the morning she said, 'You don't ever have to go back there if you don't want to,'" Lawrance said.

What followed was a period of recovery.

For weeks, he focused on little more than eating, sleeping and regaining his strength. With support from McGarrell and the multicultural association, he began taking steps toward rebuilding his life.

"There were no conditions," Lawrance said. "They were just there to help."

Wordofa said that trust was key.

"Anybody can change," he said. "We are ready now to support people who want to change their lives."

Lawrance soon found work and now holds a full-time manufacturing position in Stratford with benefits. He has begun accessing counselling services, recently earned his G2 licence and has been approved to finance a vehicle.

More importantly, he said he has regained confidence and stability.

"It's not that Kelly made me be better. She allowed me to be better," Lawrance said.

Today, Lawrance volunteers with the multicultural association and is helping the organization connect with others experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

Having spent decades living on the margins, he understands the barriers many people face.

"We're all individuals," he said. "You've got to listen. You've got to figure out what they want and what drives them."

The association hopes to build on Lawrance's success by offering one-on-one support, life-skills coaching and practical assistance to people who are ready to make positive changes in their lives.

Rather than simply providing emergency supplies, Wordofa said the goal is to help people develop the skills, confidence and support networks needed for long-term success.

"We don't want to just give people fish," he said. "We want to show them how to get fish."

For McGarrell, the experience has reinforced the power of simple human connection.

"You just have to care about someone's life," she said.

Lawrance agrees.

"We all deserve safety," he said. "One bad thing can happen to anybody. We're all just one bad day away."

Now looking ahead, Lawrance hopes to secure permanent housing in Stratford and eventually help his adult son overcome some of the same struggles he has faced.

"It's ongoing," he said. "You have to wake up every day knowing this is the life you want."

Six months after accepting a helping hand from an old friend, Lawrance is proving that sometimes a single act of kindness can change the course of a life.