José came to the United States from Brazil many years ago. “I came here to make a better life for myself,” José says. He worked construction for many years and lived a simple life: “It was hard work. I’d go to my job, come back home, and then go to work again.” When the Covid…
Kelsi grew up in the Massachusetts foster care system. “When I turned 18, I ‘aged out’ of the system,” Kelsi says. “Having grown up in institutional settings, I wasn’t prepared to take care of myself.” Soon, Kelsi became homeless and lived on the streets for many years. “There were times when I stayed in shelter,…
Matthew grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. Money was tight and his family moved frequently. Matthew attended two different high schools and never felt connected to any particular “hometown.” Once in college, Matthew enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. “I enlisted in the…
Michelle grew up in the Midwest and married at a young age. As time went on, her husband began abusing her, and she made the difficult decision to leave. “As the abuse got worse, I knew I had to leave my husband, or I wouldn’t survive,” Michelle says. “I ended up in Boston but had…
Originally from Tennessee, Will worked in the insurance field in Texas for 25 years. Several years ago, he became the victim of financial fraud. “It was someone I had known and trusted for many years,” says Will. “It upended my life and left me broke.” Will had heard that Boston was a good place to…
Ricky’s life started in the foster care system. He was adopted as a child and moved to a town outside of Boston where he attended school. “I struggled in school and was diagnosed with a developmental disorder as a child,” says Ricky. As an adult, Ricky moved to an apartment in South Boston, where he…
Originally from Cape Verde, Aldina, 64, came to the United States in 2002, becoming homeless six years ago, following a prolonged hospitalization. She had lived in her own apartment for many years, but because of her medical bills, Aldina could no longer afford it. “I thought about returning to home, but then I learned about…
Roberto grew up in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, where he lived for most of his life. For 35 years, he worked two jobs — in the auto parts industry and in event security, but during the pandemic, these industries shut down. “I was able to survive for a while,” Roberto says. “I gave up my…
Iouri immigrated to the United States in the early 1990’s with his wife following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. He came to experience the “American dream” and did. A hard worker, Iouri built a successful moving business in Boston. “My wife and I came to the United States., learned the language, built a…
Kens, a housekeeping job training program graduate, learned about the program from Pine Street’s staff when he first came to the Men’s Inn shelter. “I like working with the instructors and maintenance staff at Pine Street,” Kens says. “It’s a great team, and I’m learning so much. I get hands-on experience doing maintenance work around…
Venice, a trainee in Pine Street’s food services job training program, loves to cook. She came to Boston in 2021 looking for a better life. When she arrived, Venice stayed with a friend as she looked for work. While searching for a job, Venice’s living situation changed and she found herself on the streets. “Someone…
Ngoc, 65, fled Vietnam in the mid-1970s as the war was ending. He came to the United States looking for a better life. In the U.S., Ngoc attended high school and found a job. “The idea was to get an education and a good job so I could help my family back in Vietnam,” says…
