A Homeless Man Found a $10,000 Check and Returned It to Its Owner (3 photos)

Luck was on the side of a homeless man the day he found a check for $10,000 last year in New Haven, USA. Instead of pocketing the money or trying to cash it at a local bank, Elmer Alvarez immediately decided to find the owner.





The money could have significantly improved Alvarez's situation, but he did not want to appropriate someone else's.

"It never occurred to me because I decided to change my life. I have not used drugs for three years now," the American shared.

The money in question belonged to Roberta Hoskey, a real estate agent from Connecticut. Their meeting changed Elmer's life.

"I was expecting a nice guy, clean-shaven, wearing a blue suit like you," Roberta told a reporter. "But here was Elmer, homeless. I offered him a reward for returning the check, and he started crying. That moment shattered my stereotypes."



Roberta didn't stop there.

The woman decided to help Elmer. She found him an apartment and paid his rent for seven months. So she wanted to support him and give him a chance to get back on his feet. She also paid for his tuition at real estate school.

Now Hoskie and Alvarez are working on a nonprofit project — building a temporary home for homeless teenagers and young adults.

"I know what it's like to be homeless. No one deserves that," he said.

"Because I remember. I remember what it was like to live in a shelter," Roberta added.

Elmer had no idea that before starting her multi-million dollar company, Roberta, a teenage single mother, was also homeless. Instead of forgetting about her trials, she turns them into an opportunity to make life better for others.



Homelessness is a global problem that affects many countries. The causes are varied.

High cost of living, unemployment, economic downturn, lack of support, crime, mental health issues, drug addiction and other factors can leave a person homeless in an instant. There are at least 35,400 homeless people in the UK.