Kevin Adler – Sept. Winner

Nominator said: “Kevin F. Adler is the Founder of Miracle Messages, a nonprofit started in honor of his beloved uncle, who lived on the streets for 30 years. Miracle Messages has reunited over 800 unhoused people with their families, and matched hundreds more with volunteer phone buddies from around the world. Kevin’s story began almost ten years ago just before Christmas. He took a walk on Market St in San Francisco, offering warm tea and hot biscuits to people he met on the street. Kevin asked those he met if they had any family or friends that they wanted to record a message to for the holidays. One person who recorded a message was Jeffrey, who said he hadn’t seen his family in over 22 years. Kevin posted Jeffrey’s recording on a Facebook page group connected to Jeffrey’s hometown and within one hour hundreds of people commented on and shared the post. Soon, Jeffrey’s sister saw the post and this led to her reconnecting with her brother who had been a missing person for the past 12 years. Kevin soon quit his day job and began doing this work full-time. Since its founding in 2014, Miracle Messages has grown into an award-winning organization that serves throughout the Bay Area and nationwide, rebuilding social support systems and financial security for our unhoused neighbors through family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and the first basic income pilot for unhoused individuals in the United States.”