Calvin, now 61 years old, was one of over a dozen siblings. Throughout his childhood, his parents struggled with poverty and the pressures of providing for a large family. Eventually, the financial strain led to substance use disorder for his parents. Due to the instability at home, Calvin and his siblings were sent to live…
Kenneth, 61, lived and worked in Central Massachusetts for over 20 years before relocating to Boston for a job opportunity. Prior to coming to Boston, Kenneth says, “I had a place to live, and was always able to pay my own rent.” After arriving in Boston, things changed quickly for Kenneth due to medical issues…
David grew up in a Boston suburb, the son of a veteran turned engineer and a mother who worked as a nurse. He beams with pride when he recalls his first job at age 15 and the early years in his hometown. In adulthood, things took an unfortunate turn for David, and he ended up…
John lived in Boston, working in the housekeeping field. He was very close to his family, especially his father, and when his father died, John became depressed and faced a series of challenges. “I lost my father and fell apart,” John says. “We were so close — he was my best friend.” Following this tragedy,…
Sadea became homeless after a significant rent increase and a job loss. “I was living in an apartment with my 12-year-old son,” Sadea says. “It was a freezing cold winter when we got evicted, and we didn’t have any place to go.” Sadea made some difficult choices that no parent should have to make. “I…
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…
