Stories

“I understand what the residents are going through when they come to us, and I always tell them that every day is a second chance.”

“I’m not letting the titles of the illness slow me down. People draw near to light more than they do to darkness. There’s a Peanuts character named Pig-Pen who has a cloud following him around. I want to be more like Charlie Brown or Snoopy, getting involved in things, than being like the character with the cloud over his head.”

“After wearing the uniform every day in the Air Force, and seeing the respect it garners, it’s a humbling experience to live out of your truck and be stigmatized as ‘homeless.’

“This is the second set of grandkids I’ve raised. It takes a lot to raise these kids. You get them to school, you get them back, you do homework and fix supper and get them ready for the next day. At the end of the day, I’m exhausted.”

“I never missed a day of work when I was in the Army, and was an expert with an M16, but couldn’t keep a job when I came home. I’ve worked in factories, as a prison guard, and have planted crops. Now I just want to finish my Associate’s Degree. I’m proud of myself for making it this far.”

“Gabrielle had language development problems when she came to live with me. We got her the help she needed, and she went from not talking to talking too much!”

“I always had the answers in life, but mental health was one thing I couldn’t deal with. Now that I’m here, living life is a priority again.”

“I thank the lord for every day I can get up in the morning. What brings me peace is the blessing of being here another day, and in good health. I’m thankful for it. And at the end of the day, I like listening to music and reading.”

“What’s one talent I have that most people don’t know about? Well, I think everyone already knows that I have the gift of gab.”

“We get to know each other in this community. If you have problems, or someone’s messing with you or stuff, your friends have your back.”