Former homeless man brings message of hope

Former homeless man brings message of hope
Posted by Susan Harrison Wolffis The Muskegon Chronicle
April 22, 2008 21:59PM
Categories: Muskegon
Dwight Pledger stood before an audience called together Tuesday morning to combat the devastating issue of homelessness in West Michigan — and offered his own story as inspiration.

Once he was homeless, hooked on cocaine and in despair of finding his way.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy and a successful real estate broker in Perriscq, Calif., Pledger lost everything in the 1980s: his family, his business, his home, his possessions, even his two Mercedes-Benzes.

"It was a long, hard road to restoration," Pledger said, "but I'm an example of what's possible."

Now a motivational speaker who travels around the country, Pledger, 55, repeated his message of "what's possible" throughout his keynote speech to the 100 or so participants who attended the first annual Region 3 Homeless Solutions Training held at Muskegon Community College. Most in the audience were professionals who work with the homeless in an 11-county area that includes Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa counties.


"Sometimes you might think your labor is in vain, but it's people like you who gave me a second chance," Pledger said.

A real estate broker, Pledger is also president and co-founder of Ray of Hope Ministries, a recovery and restoration "parachurch" organization that supports men and women "coming out of various addictions and destructive lifestyles."
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