ORLANDO, Fla. — David Williams is a familiar voice now heard around Lake Eola. He's been a Downtown Ambassador since September.

The program was launched in August 2018 and was designed to help cut down aggressive panhandling, help keep people safe, help keep the city clean, and assist people with knowledge about downtown locations.

Williams works his beat around Lake Eola proudly, helping anyone he meets from residents to tourists, and even the homeless.

It’s the homeless who hold his heart the most — he sees himself.

“I see David. Whether, I see somebody that is a street resident or whether I see somebody that is in the 7/11 buying something, or whether I see someone walking down the street, I see me,” Williams said.

The Army veteran was homeless for 14 years.

“I was on the streets; I was actually in the woods,” Williams said.

With help from Orlando-area programs, he found jobs and a home in 2015. But his life really turned around when he saw the launch of the ambassador’s program on TV.

“I dreamed that I was in the uniform, standing on the corner of Orange and Church Street, talking to a street resident,” Williams said.

It was a dream that came true and allowed him to do the same thing he did for others while homeless: help.

“Giving back, giving someone a pair of socks, giving people some extra sandwiches. If I saw you were new in town, I would take you to the shelter. I would take you there, give you the basic necessities to survive,” Williams said.

The formerly homeless helper is now paid to help.

“It was a natural thing,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think this job was molded around me.”

To learn more about the Downtown Ambassador Program, click here.