When she was gone, everything was gone

Gary

Gary wasn’t someone you would expect to see in this place. He had two master’s degrees, children and grandchildren, no criminal history, and a lifetime of meaningful work as a college professor.  His wife got cancer when they were just 60. It was a scary diagnosis, and life changed quickly. They did everything they could do to…

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She had to choose between her medications or food

Mariana

Living on a monthly income of $774 in a low-income apartment which cost $650 per month meant that Mariana had $124 left each month for everything else. Every month, after the electricity was paid, she had to choose between paying for the six medications she needed and the cheapest of food. Her apartment was hazardous because…

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He didn’t realize he wasn’t equipped to be on his own

Brendan was in and out of foster care settings for as long as he could remember. When he turned 18, he was so happy to be “free” from the cycle of placements and the traumas that often accompanied them. At the time, he didn’t fully realize that he wasn’t equipped to be on his own. After couch…

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He had trouble keeping track of time

Man thinking

Stephen moved in directly from prison. He was one of the lucky ones who had a counselor to help him apply for housing early, so he was at the top of the waitlist when parole came through. We set up regular case management meetings but usually had to go knock on his door because he had…

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And yet, he wanted to stay at home

Reggie was only 54 years old, but you might guess that he was 74. He walked slowly, hunched over and wincing in pain. We didn’t know what his medical diagnosis was. It could have been early onset dementia or a string of small strokes, but we knew that his needs were greater than we could meet, and yet,…

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His mental health is spiraling

“It’s gotten so bad and I don’t understand how I am in this place. I’m scared, but there is a harsh voice in my head telling me I have to figure this out on my own. I’m coming to terms with not knowing how. This is not what I thought my life would become.” Samuel…

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