“Dream bigger…it doesn’t hurt to have big pipe dreams.”
For Alison, these are more than just words. They are instructions for life.
Before OSH, Alison spent three-and-a-half years sleeping in shelters. One night, sitting alone in a hotel room, the seriousness of her situation hit her: “I heard a commotion in the room next to mine. I saw people taken by ambulance and police. And for the first time, I got scared—scared that it could be me.”
In that moment, Alison made a decision to go to college. She knew that stable housing would help her focus on school, so she applied with PSH.
Preparing for her interview, she told herself, “You have to interview like this is your life.” And she did. The phone call came just half an hour after finishing. Alison was accepted. It’s a day she will never forget, jumping and screaming for joy at the bus stop.
Three weeks later, Alison moved into her very own apartment. She also started rebuilding burnt bridges with family. More than anything else, though, she says that she began to prove to herself that she is capable and worthy.
Alison graduated with an Associate Degree in Health Information and Technology from St. Paul College on May 16th last spring. But she’s not done dreaming. She’s currently looking for full-time work that would allow her to live on her own. There’s no doubt she’s ready to make it happen. “I know what I’m doing, and I know what I want to work towards. I am so grateful!”
