Meet Steve Ring, a resident who is thanking the Navigation Center in Salinas for turning his life around

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) - The navigation center in Salinas may come to a close in October after COVID-19-era funding runs out. This is causing concern among people who rely on the center for basic needs.

For Steve Ring, life just one month ago looked a lot different when he wasn't at the Navigation Center.

"I was living under a tree, I was doing drugs, I was homeless, not doing anything with my life," said Ring.

A medical emergency landed at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula — and that moment changed everything.

"While I was in CHOMP they mentioned putting me up here because I wanted to get off the street. I couldn't, I can't do it anymore. So they paid for a taxi for me from CHOMP out here to the front door to the navigation center, and I stayed there until I stayed on the front door until they let me in because I wanted to change," said Ring.

Now he celebrates one month clean of drugs, a milestone he credits the navigation center, its staff, and the stability it provides.

"There are counselors here who are available to help with that. And plus, they helped me get the medical help that I needed. And they're also helping with the psychological support. They're also encouraging for helping to point people in the right direction for jobs and careers," said Ring.

That stability gave him the self-esteem to enroll at Hartnell Community College. This summer, he will begin working towards his associate's degree in psychology.

"When I came here, there were a couple of people in here that were they didn't like talking to people, and they opened up to me, and I saw the impact I had on them when that happened. Their self-esteem got better, their morale got better, and their motivation got better. When that happened, I started thinking about going back to classes, and then I went down to Hartnell and I started my enrollment process, and on June 3rd, I went back down there and finished picking up my classes," said King.

But the place that made this all possible may not be around for much longer. Salinas city officials say the navigation centers' funding is set to run out in October.

And without new sources of funding, the facility could shut down, leaving dozens of people, including Steve, in a vulnerable situation.

"It's extremely hard when there's nobody there to support you. When you're out there living on the streets like that, you don't have a support, a proper support system," said Ring.

He says the center and the people in it have become his family.

"We have a big living room, big kitchen, and big TV where the residents can go in there, relax, watch tv, discuss things, have dinner, actually kind of more like a family-type setting because at dinnertime everybody's sitting in there. We're all talking. We're having a conversation like we used to be back when we were growing up," said Ring.

Steve has big dreams, not just creating a better life for himself, but also helping others do the same.

"I plan on becoming a psychologist, an actual psychologist, and I'm not doing it for the title or the money, the paycheck or the parking spot. No, I'm doing it for the people."

Without this navigation center or the bridge to success, as Steve calls it, hope will be lost.

"Every single one of us that's in this building right here behind us, they all are trying to get a better life. They're not trying to live off the taxpayers' dollars. No, they're not trying to do that. They are trying to get off them, on their feet, and get out of the streets," said Ring.

Greg Baker with Community Homeless Solutions says they have been able to get 137 people into permanent housing.

The city agreed on Tuesday to explore ways and keep the navigation center running. The city has until October before funds run out.