Brian Sicurella’s journey to his home along the Los Angeles River has been rocky.

“I was taken away from my parents because of their drug addiction at the age of three,” said Brian, who started doing drugs himself with his cousins at 12 and found himself homeless a year later.

He also struggled with high-functioning autism at a young age.

But he’s finally figured out how to stay away from drugs and control his temper: he stays busy.

Brian cooks at the Hollywood Adventist Church about twice a month for other people experiencing homelessness, often using his own food stamps to initially purchase his ingredients.

That’s not all.

He also volunteers with the LA Fire Department and is currently working on becoming a volunteer EMT.

“I’m out here homeless. Who else is going to be there for me but myself if something happens?” Brian said. “It just keeps me busy so that’s what keeps me going.”