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The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
Homeless ex-con turned his life around and now helps others do the same
When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said. When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said. When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said. When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘It requires a North Star': advocates say ‘Recovery First' ordinance combats SF's unhoused crisis
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Mayor Daniel Lurie said San Francisco has marked a 'major step forward in the belief that recovery is possible,' after he signed new 'Recovery First' legislation on Friday. The bill — sponsored by District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey — aims to tackle the city's long-standing behavioral health and unhoused crisis. 'Since day one, our administration has been working to reshape how the city addresses homelessness, mental health, and addiction,' said Mayor Lurie in a news release. 'This ordinance reflects what we would want for our loved ones, if they were, or if they are, struggling.' 'By enacting 'Recovery First' into law, San Francisco is finally aligning our drug policy goal with what any of us would wish for a loved one struggling with addiction — a self-directed and healthy life, free from illicit drug use,' added Supervisor Dorsey, who has long been outspoken about his own personal drug addiction and recovery. Local advocates are applauding the progress at change. 'San Francisco's overdose death rates, especially among the city's Black residents, have reached devastating levels,' said the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions in a statement to KRON4. 'This is a crisis that demands more than temporary fixes. It requires a North Star.' 'By prioritizing long-term recovery — free of illicit drugs — expanding access to treatment, and creating real pathways to sobriety and independence, we can offer people more than survival, we can help them rebuild their lives,' said Steve Adami, Executive Director of the Way Out. SF to end free distribution of fentanyl paraphernalia without treatment The ordinance follows other recent action under the $37.5 million-funded Breaking the Cycle plan from Mayor Lurie to tackle issues impacting the city, including the Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
08-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F. Mayor Lurie unveils first big haul of private funds to address homelessness
Mayor Daniel Lurie has raised $37.5 million from wealthy donors to address San Francisco's homelessness and behavioral health crises, making good on one of his early pledges to supplement taxpayer funds by tapping private dollars to clean up streets and get more people into treatment and housing. Money generated by the public-private partnership, which is named the Breaking the Cycle Fund, will be used to acquire, build and open new interim shelter and treatment beds and to enhance supportive services to help people address addiction and mental health challenges, Lurie said Thursday. While the funds are not insignificant, they aren't transformative. The city is facing a two-year $818 million deficit, which Lurie's administration is working to close through its proposed budget, which will be unveiled in about a month. Lurie has initial commitments of $11 million from Tipping Point Community, $10 million from the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, $10 million from the Crankstart Foundation, $6 million from Keith and Priscilla Geeslin and $500,000 from the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. He called those donations 'a great start' but said that they were 'not the end.' The $11 million commitment from Tipping Point was already announced. Those funds will pay for a pilot program aimed at preventing homelessness among families, which skyrocketed over the past few years amid a surge in migrants. 'In order for San Francisco to recover, we must tackle the homelessness and behavioral health crisis we face alongside the historic budget deficit we inherited,' Lurie said at a press conference Thursday morning. 'We must learn to do more with less, and that's going to require an unprecedented all-hands-on-deck approach — an effort designed to reach across sectors and silos and one that brings to bear all the talents, innovation and expertise of this incredible city.' Katie Schwab Paige, board chair and president of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, said the foundation was 'proud to support this vital effort.' 'As longtime supporters of the fight against homelessness in San Francisco, we believe the Breaking the Cycle Fund presents a unique opportunity to address our city's homelessness and behavioral health crises,' she said in a statement. The San Francisco Foundation will oversee the fund, which will be spent in coordination with the mayor's office. Under state and city laws, officials will be required to report all donations through the fund to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Legislation crafted by Lurie and approved by the Board of Supervisors earlier this year allowed the creation of the fund, making it easier to cut red tape and fundraise for initiatives related to homelessness, addiction treatment and mental health services. Mark Mazza, who helps lead the city's new neighborhood-based street teams, said expanding beds and improving the behavioral health system were critically needed. Most days, he said his teams run out of beds to offer people on the streets by lunchtime. 'The announcement today is exciting,' he said, 'and a step in the right direction.'
Channel Post MEA
21-04-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
OPSWAT Announces Participation In GISEC 2025
OPSWAT has announced its participation as a Diamond Sponsor at MEA's leading security event, GISEC Global 2025. The event will run from 6 to 8 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, hosted by the UAE Cybersecurity Council in partnership with the Dubai Electronic Security Center. Industry professionals from around the world will be able to learn from thought leaders at OPSWAT, while the company aims to forge strategic alliances that drive mutual growth and success in addressing cybersecurity challenges. 'Our main focus at GISEC Global 2025 will be critical infrastructure, the lynchpin of economic progress and an increasingly popular target for threat actors,' said Sertan Selcuk, Vice President for METAP and CIS, OPSWAT. 'Our partnerships will involve devising ways of protecting the interconnected systems and technologies that drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Through our demonstrations and discussions at GISEC 2025, OPSWAT experts will show how our solutions directly address the latest cybersecurity challenges, especially the ongoing merger of IT and OT.' CISO and industry visitors of GISEC can visit OPSWAT's CIP Mobile Lab, where OP/X Labs will provide live demos of industry-leading solutions that secure critical infrastructure, while OPSWAT experts offer practical insights into safeguarding organizations' most vital systems and networks. Alongside the Mobile Lab will be OPSWAT's Nuclear Plant Model Reactor, a display that underscores the company's prowess in securing sensitive environments like nuclear power plants. Part of the demonstration will be the showcasing of the interconnectivity of the mobile lab with the nuclear plant model. OPSWAT subject matter experts will also participate in speaking engagements and seminars at GISEC Global 2025. On day one, on the Dark Stage, OPSWAT will run a live hacking session to highlight the dangers that prowl today's threat landscape. During day two, on the Government Stage, hosted by Dubai Electronic Security Center, OPSWAT Founder and CEO, Benny Czarny, will present 'Breaking the Firewall: Revolutionizing Cyber Defense for a Connected World'. He will make the case for a fundamental rethinking of the traditional firewall, highlighting how the rise of AI-driven exploits, encrypted attacks, and increasingly complex network environments demands a new approach to cybersecurity. Also on day two, on the Critical Infrastructure Stage, OPSWAT's Director of Products and Solutions, Kris Voorspoels, will take part in a panel discussion on the security crisis facing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in the regional oil and gas sector. With eyes on both 2025 and beyond, panel experts will discuss how the rise of IoT devices in the petrochemical industry, from pipeline sensors to drilling systems, has impacted security for one of the region's most important revenue streams. Aiming to enhance cybersecurity standards across the region in alignment with the goals of the UAE National Cybersecurity Strategy, OPSWAT Academy will offer complimentary CIP certifications, such as File Security Associate (OFSA), Secure Storage Associate (OSSA), Email Security Associate (OESA), Web Traffic Protection Associate (OWPA), and Data Transfer Security Associate (ODSA). 'Our GISEC participation further demonstrates our steadfast commitment to delivering IT/OT cybersecurity solutions and fostering the cyber talent that the region needs to defend its critical infrastructure and sustain economic progress,' Selcuk added. 'MEA technology and business leaders increasingly look to OPSWAT to defend their IT/OT suites. We stand ready as their trusted partner.' At GISEC Global 2025, OPSWAT will exhibit from Stand C55, Hall 7. 0 0
