“I cannot believe what people throw away. It gives me a way of surviving,” Richard Ansel of Lewiston said.

Using a baby stroller, Ansel makes his rounds to pick up recyclables that bring in money to make ends meet. Ansel has poor hearing, a back injury and no car because it was stolen. He has not been able to find employment because, he said, “Employers are reluctant to hire someone who cannot hear.”

However, Ansel refuses to let life get him down. “This is what I have to do to get by.”

His daily routine consists of going to areas where he finds cans and then going to the redemption center. The baby stroller affords him a way to transport the returnables without putting stress on his already injured back. On this given day, Ansel reports with a smile on his face, “I had a very good day today. I earned $50.”

Richard Ansel of Lewiston has found a way to get by in spite of his circumstances. He collects returnables with a baby stroller.