Justin — Finding Community

Justin  grew up north of Boston. His birth parents gave him up for adoption as an infant, and he spent his early years in the care of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. When he was 8 years old, Justin was adopted.

“My adoptive family was not the best fit for me, and we had challenges communicating when I was growing up,” Justin says. “When I was 17, I left home and moved in with my birth mother in Worcester. She was dealing with mental health issues, so I left after two months and came to Boston as I had friends here.”

With no place to live, Justin became homeless, sometimes staying in a shelter that helps young people. He also spent many nights sleeping on the streets, where Justin connected with Pine Street Inn’s outreach team.

“I would stay in alleys, and the outreach van would visit at night to check on me, bring sandwiches, coffee and blankets,” Justin says. “I built a relationship with the staff, and they helped me get an apartment in one of Pine Street’s buildings in Brookline. I was 24 when I moved in, and I’ve been here for six years.”

Justin, who spent many years working in food services, enjoys cooking for the other residents in his building. “The building I live in has a great shared kitchen, and I often spend time there,” Justin says. “I’ve cooked Thanksgiving dinner for a couple of years, and I’m looking forward to doing that again this year. Last year, I spent 12 hours in the kitchen. I made turkey, baked macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and candied carrots. It’s great to spend time with everyone in the building. I’m grateful to Pine Street Inn.”

Currently, Justin is looking for a job in a restaurant. “He concludes, “I really love cooking, and my dream is to open my own restaurant.”