Ricky B. — Moving Toward Independence

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 lived for 18 years. Unable to work a full-time job because of his disabilities, he came to an agreement with his landlord to do odd jobs around the building as part of his rent.

Because his social security disability payments were not enough to cover his costs, this arrangement worked well for many years.

“When my landlord decided to sell the property, I had to move out,” says Ricky. “After living in one place for 18 years and suddenly having nowhere to go, I was in shock, and I wound up on the streets. I heard that Pine Street Inn off ered a safe place to sleep, so I came to the Men’s Inn.”

Ricky continues, “It was hard to go from living in an apartment to staying in a shelter. The staff at Pine Street helped me apply for housing and within a year, I was able to get a room in a house.”

Ricky was relieved to move into a place where Pine Street case managers visit regularly to ensure he stays connected with medical and mental health support. “I don’t care how big the place is — it’s mine. I can go outside for walks, ride my bike and go to the beach for peace and quiet,” says Ricky.

“I’m so thankful to Pine Street’s staff for helping me. Now, I’m hoping to move to independent housing. The staff are supporting me in applying for my own apartment and taking the next step.”