Reported By Heather Sorentrue
ORLANDO -- To celebrate the patriotic spirit of the Fourth of July, a homeless shelter opened its doors Saturday to honor veterans struggling out on the streets.
The mission aims at helping homeless veterans regain their own pride and independence.
Anthony Bihms, who served in the U.S. Army, spent two and a half years out on the streets.
"I have been there, slept under bridges, ate out of garbage cans," said Bihms, a veteran who was once homeless. "I don't have any shame or any pride in it any more. I know what they are going through."
He is trying to get back on track with help from the Orlando Union Rescue Mission.
Bihms now works as a cook at the homeless shelter and is celebrating the Fourth of July by serving a catered meal to around 600 people in need, many of them veterans.
"Now I can give not just to my brother veterans but to everyone." Bihms says.
"July the 4th is freedom and you kind of think of patriotic because of our service men and so we wanted to honor them because so many of them are homeless people," said Don Moody of Orlando Union Rescue Mission.
The event included recognition for veterans, patriotic music and testimony from formerly homeless vets who wanted to offer hope to the crowd.
Bihms is one of 40 people in a program at the shelter trying to transition from the streets to being self sufficient.
Like many, he has struggled with unemployment and addiction - challenges he now takes as an important life lessons.
"In the time I was working and had all this money I was wrapped up in myself and I didn't see all this. To me it's just a blessing," Bihms said. "It's just a place where we can come and get our head right first and then our heart right and then go back out and try again."
It's estimated that in Florida 19,000 men and women are veterans who are living on the streets.
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