GREAT KERN COUNTY
Jason Thorwegen and his dogs.
Van for a Plan
Jason Thorwegen donates vans to homeless people, veterans By Julie Mana-ay Perez
» HOMELESS FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, JASON THORWE-
GEN UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO STRUGGLE AND TOLD HIMSELF THAT HE WOULD NEVER BE IN THAT SITUATION AGAIN.
With little to give back, he spends his time donating vans to help homeless veterans get off the streets and into their own shelter.
“I help veterans, homeless and disabled people. I went through a lot of trial and error. There’s so many people that suffer out there that can’t receive these services because of their disabilities. They can’t go to a shelter to eat because it makes them uncomfortable. There’s so many people that suffer unnecessarily,” said Thorwegen. Thorwegen decided it was time to stand with these underserved community members and do what he could to help them. “There’s things that need to be done for people who can’t be in facilities, like me, I can’t go to a shelter. A van is something different — it’s private, it has the ability to work and get around,” he said. “I figured, since there’s so many old vans out there and somebody was going to start fixing them, I could donate and build them into homes.” “It’s my own shelter. I have a full-sized bed in here. This is basically an entire house wrapped up in a little package. That’s what I want to bring to people,” he added. Before starting Van with a Plan three years ago, Thorwegen re-
» See more Van with a Plan on PAGE 98. PHOTOS BY JULIE MANA-AY PEREZ
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