Speaker Biography - Mr. Grant Denton
Mr. Grant Denton has experienced life on the streets firsthand. Once homeless, a drug addict and in and out of jail, he has learned valuable lessons about life and how to survive and his experiences inform the projects he creates to help unsheltered people. Now sober, employed and a father, he is on a mission to help others get off the streets and back to a better life. Public officials say Mr. Denton brings a keen understanding of street culture and the difficulties of escaping homelessness to the table. A successful journey out of homelessness and drug addiction requires a hybrid approach. The first step is to meet them where they're at, wherever that may be. However, Grant emphasizes, it's important NOT to leave them there. The end goal is proper mental health management, a life free of drugs, and then self-sufficiency. Those steps require a lot of support.
He created a nonprofit, the Karma Box Project, that started out as a grassroots community effort to distribute and fill free pantry boxes throughout the region. Now, operating one of the country’s most successful safe camps as well as outreach, bridge housing, and reentry programs, Karma Box Project is a model for innovation, engagement and collaboration. The Project now creates employment, including for people in recovery and off the streets. It is funded by Washoe County and the city of Reno, with support from the city of Sparks and Carson City.