Andrea, our Workforce Development senior trainee, is originally from Jamaica. When she moved to Boston at age 13, she and her family faced challenges in finding affordable housing. As a result, Andrea ended up in the foster care system. “Once I got out of foster care, I moved in with my mother,” Andrea says. “She…
George has come full circle. While he lived in Somerville for 40 years, George was born in Jamaica Plain, where he now resides in one of Pine Street’s residences. George worked hard all of his life as a maintenance person for Somerville Parks and Recreation and later in construction. “I became homeless due to series…
Darryl grew up in Boston in a hard-working family. “My father worked in factories and my mother was a nurse,” Darryl says. “I had a learning disability growing up, and as a result, I was never very interested in school. I went straight to work when I finished high school — doing odd jobs, which…
James is a trainee in our housekeeping training program. He is also a survivor of addiction and abuse. “I grew up in Dorchester as part of a great family,” James says. “As a child, I was abused by a so-called family friend, but I kept it all bottled up inside. I was ashamed and felt…
Louise grew up in Boston, and moved to South Carolina when she was 23, seeking new opportunities. “South Carolina was wonderful,” Louise says. “I met my future husband there, and we got married when we were 29. We started our own septic cleaning and drainage business, and we were looking forward to raising a family…
Joaquin works hard and loves to cook. However, following his second layoff in as many years, he became depressed and began drinking heavily. Eventually, he was unable to pay his rent and lost his apartment. “I had a lot of experience working as a cook at one of Boston’s hospitals,” says Joaquin. “After losing that…
TJ came to Boston looking for a fresh start after having conflicts with his family about his drinking. Because of his worsening addiction and the high cost of living in Boston, he became homeless soon after arriving. “I moved to Boston after my mother asked me to leave the house,” TJ says. “I began drinking…
Adán emigrated to the United States from Mexico 20 years ago, looking for a better life. In Mexico, Adán was involved in the film industry as a writer, actor and production manager. “The art of film is like a collective dream,” Adán says. “In order to make others dream, you have to be able to…
