“I am one of one of the residents in Our Saviour’s Housing’s Permanent Supportive Housing program. About a year ago, I moved into my own apartment near downtown Minneapolis. Our Saviour’s helped me find my home and still supports me every step of the way.
Before Our Saviour’s Housing came along, I was homeless for four years. Homelessness was tough: I slept outside, in my car, or on other people’s couches. I carried all of my belongings in a backpack or trash bag. Often times the only place to wash up was a public restroom. I was too embarrassed to even tell my family I was homeless. I just stopped calling them. I wondered, Who would ever let me live in an apartment?
When I was homeless, I would read magazines at the library. I’d look at pictures of beautiful houses and dream about having my own some day. Now I love decorating my apartment and making it just so. I feel so blessed that I can take a shower, put food in my fridge, and sleep in my own bed. I often just look around my apartment and think, Wow… I have a roof over my head. I cannot tell you what a relief that is.
For a long time after I moved in, I’d wake up each morning wondering where I was. Then I’d smile and realize that I was home. Now that I am finally feeling safe and settled, I’m planning for the future. I want to go back to school and rebuild my job skills. In the meantime I have been volunteering. Even better, I got up the courage to call my family and tell them about my new place. I visited them this past Thanksgiving—my first trip home in years.
I feel so blessed, so relieved, so at peace. No longer do I worry where I am going to lay my head and where I’ll wake up. Just like the commercial says, that’s priceless.”
-Jerry