It's important to always be looking for ways to improve, but celebrating success and when things are working well is just as important. The Continuum of Care Progress series of stories will be about those, who with the help of programs within the CoC, have overcome homelessness.The first in the series is the story of a man who found help with a program in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Ken was just like you and me, he went to work every day, had a home, and paid his bills. One terrible morning his whole world changed…....Ken was involved in an accident and suffered a traumatic head injury, which led to adult onset seizures.
After an extended hospital stay his medical bills started to pile up and he quickly went through his savings. On his long road to recovery he had to make choices based on what he could afford, so he avoided proper healthcare follow-up. He was forced to quit his job when his seizures grew uncontrollable. With no stable income and his savings drained it didn't take long to get behind on house payments.
Trying to balance day-to-day living and learning how to live with his disability was overwhelming enough but then he heard the words – you are losing your home. How could this be? Ken did everything he was supposed to do in life, he worked hard, paid bills, was a good person and none of that changed his circumstances – he was now homeless! Like many of us would, he relied on his family for help.
His mother welcomed him home and he lived with her for several years. Ken worked tirelessly trying to find a job that would accommodate his disability, which included a restriction on driving. The years flew by quickly, Ken’s mom became ill and passed away. Once again Ken found himself homeless, grief-stricken, and without hope. Without knowing it Ken was now battling severe depression. He alienated himself from his sister and everyone else because he felt ashamed that he was a grown man and couldn't provide for himself.
For five years, he lived in and out of homeless shelters and in the woods, even during brutal summer heat and winter cold. His former brother-in-law was shocked when he found Ken salvaging for food out of a dumpster behind a grocery store. At his family’s urging he stepped into the office at Housing Opportunities (HO) ready to make a change, ready for an opportunity to get help, and become self-sufficient again.
Ken qualified for HO's supportive housing program. With the help of the Housing First model Ken stepped up to achieve so many of his personal goals successfully. With guidance from his HO case manager, Ken applied for and was awarded Social Security Disability benefits for his crippling seizures. He now has a home, is able to grocery shop, pay bills, and feel a sense of accomplishment again. He is back to the man he was before that horrible unforeseen accident so many years ago. Some people look at these things as bothersome, even complaining about having to go to the grocery store, or pay a bill, but Ken celebrates these tasks. When he was asked to explain his enthusiasm about chores or errands that may seem trivial to people he said,
Ken has been a great addition to HO’s family and chooses to give back by helping maintain his building’s yard and also serves as a positive influence on the other households that live in his building. Ken strives to lend a helping hand to everyone he encounters who is in need.
Could you imagine being thrown into a situation like Ken’s? His life was turned upside-down in a blink of an eye at no fault of his own. Because of people who have a passion to help people, and with the thanks of many supporters, HO is able to offer customized support services and a stable home to so many people like Ken.
