BOISE, Idaho — What would you do if a $1 lottery ticket turned into a $200,000 jackpot?
For one former Interfaith Sanctuary guest, the answer was to give a portion of it away.
Hear about the remarkable donation and how the shelter says it will help their mission:
Interfaith Sanctuary leaders say a former guest recently returned to the shelter and surprised staff with a $20,000 donation from his Idaho Lottery winnings — money he said was intended to thank the people who helped him overcome homelessness and addiction.
"And he said, 'I want to give this to you, so I can thank you for saving my life,'" said Interfaith Sanctuary executive director Jodi Peterson.
The man previously stayed at Interfaith's former emergency shelter in downtown Boise, where he participated in the organization's Project Recovery program. Peterson said he has now been sober for more than two years and has been living in stable housing for about a year.
According to Peterson, the former guest was stunned when he learned how much he had won.
"He was shocked. He didn't believe it," Peterson said. "He was like, 'Are you sure?'"
Peterson said the donation is the largest monetary gift Interfaith Sanctuary has received from a former shelter guest.
The gift will also have a significant impact. Interfaith estimates it costs about $40 per day to provide shelter and support services for one guest. At that rate, a $20,000 donation will fund roughly 500 nights of care.
While the check itself was remarkable, Peterson said the story is also about the lasting connections many former guests maintain with the shelter long after finding housing.
"The world needs good stories. They need to believe in humanity," Peterson said. "It has always been our responsibility to lift the stories up of the people we serve."
Peterson says many former guests continue to attend recovery groups and stay connected with the community that helped them.
For Interfaith Sanctuary staff, the donation serves as a reminder that recovery and stability are possible — and that sometimes those who've received help are eager to give it back.
At the request of Interfaith Sanctuary, Idaho News 6 is not naming the former guest, who is continuing his recovery journey and adjusting to a major life change following his lottery win.
