Jack isn’t just a Veteran—he’s a dear friend and originally from Canada. His home is filled with unique Canadian touches, but one thing I never expected to learn was that clothes dryers in Canada are different. Unlike the front-loading dryers we’re used to in the U.S., many Canadian dryers load from the top—something I had never seen before!
Jack had one of these rare top-loading dryers, but when it broke, there was no way to repair it or find replacement parts. He casually asked me to keep an eye out for one at Newby-ginnings, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. In all my years, I had never seen one in the U.S., let alone donated to our organization.
And then—sure enough, one showed up.
Right when Jack needed it, an actual top-loading Canadian dryer arrived at Newby-ginnings. I couldn’t believe it. Another perfect example of the Newby-verse stepping in—proving once again that sometimes, the impossible isn’t so impossible after all.
One of my favorite Newby-verse moments happened on a scorching summer day in 2019. Newby-ginnings was BUSY—standing room only in the lobby, a line of vehicles waiting to drop off donations in the back, and volunteers working tirelessly to keep up. We had reached full capacity, and for safety reasons, we had to put up a sign letting donors know we couldn’t accept anything else that day.
At the front desk, I was speaking with an SSVF Case Manager while a newly enrolled Veteran filled out his paperwork. The Case Manager turned to me and asked, “Do you have any cat stuff? He just moved into an apartment after being homeless and got a new kitten. He needs everything for it.”
I told her about our pet supply area, hoping we had something that could help. And then—right at that moment—the front door burst open.
A woman walked in, looking a little frazzled. “Wow! You guys are really slammed back there! They put up a sign saying you couldn’t take my donation.”
I apologized and asked if she could return the next day. She smiled and said, “Of course! It’s just one box. I recently lost my cat, and these are all of her things.”
The Case Manager and I looked at each other in complete shock. Without hesitation, we carried the box straight to the Veteran’s car. It had everything he needed for his new kitten.
The Newby-verse had stepped in once again—making sure that, even in the busiest of moments, the right things happen at the right time.
