CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Salvation Army of the Coastal Bend held their first ever "Shield of Hope" event Tuesday afternoon with the purpose of presenting awards to their volunteers.
The awards recognized those who make a difference in the community and help to combat homelessness.
The guest speaker during Tuesday's event was Liz Murray, who went from being homeless to graduating from Harvard University. According to Murray, personal choice is the key to success, but sometimes it takes more.
"People go, 'Well if you keep throwing help on top of things, someone does have to make a choice,' but when a choice to change your life is met by community support, that combination is incredibly powerful. That's what changes lives," Murray said.
Murray is currently a student at Columbia University earning a master's degree in clinical psychology.
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