Your compassion helped Greg quarantine safely in his own apartment

Greg’s life began with many disadvantages. As the child of an alcoholic and abusive father, Greg
witnessed things no child should ever see. Not only was his home life unstable, but Greg also experienced unspeakable harm at the hands of his uncle.

As you can imagine, Greg’s childhood was filled with rage, depression, and anxiety. At 12, Greg entered the foster care system, where he stayed until he aged out at 18.

As an adult, Greg turned to drugs and alcohol to mask his childhood pain. “The secrets I carried around were eating me up inside,” he recalled.

At age 55, he’d spent 35 years running from traumas he’d experienced and the deep scars embedded in his soul. Living in a tent was taking a toll on his physical and mental health.

But, there was a quiet voice that kept reminding Greg that education was his way out of his chaotic, difficult life on the streets.

“I knew I had to start being honest with myself,” says Greg. “I had to deal with all those bad memories so I could feel like myself again."

He enrolled in community college and spent his first full year in school while living in his tent.

Greg knew he needed housing and dependable electricity so he could charge his laptop and do his school work.

After completing his first year of school and making great progress as a psychology major, Greg turned to Volunteers of America and asked for help.

At our Capitol Park Shelter Greg got more than a warm bed, consistent meals, electricity, and a roof over his head. The VOA team helped him begin to heal from the traumas of his childhood.

Just before quarantine orders, his case manager helped him locate and rent a small apartment - a place to call his own.

Because of your caring support for people like Greg, he is now able to have the life he always dreamed of.