If there is anyone who embodies the word “optimism,” it is CHN resident Timothy.
His experience with homelessness began in 1995, when substance use and an undiagnosed mental illness caused him to lose his housing and his stability. He spent the next 10 years without consistent shelter, often sleeping on the hard concrete of parking garages and city streets. Like many in his position, Timothy found the idea of asking for help overwhelming and did not know where to begin to get his life back on track.
Fortunately, Timothy found a spot in the downtown YMCA men’s building, where he stayed for the next 17 years. There, he made significant progress – getting a mental health diagnosis, receiving treatment, and even returning to work. But the traumatic experience of homelessness took a serious toll on his health. Years of sleeping on the ground caused immense pain in his back and hips, eventually requiring back surgery and double hip replacements. And shortly before moving into CHN housing, he would face his greatest challenge yet: the fight against cancer.
But one thing Timothy would never do was give up. He continued receiving his cancer treatments after moving to CHN, where he is able to lean on the support staff for resources and encouragement. He also worked with service coordinators from the YMCA to apply for social security disability benefits, which provided him with income as he focused his energy on physical and mental healing. He says he appreciates how involved the CHN and YMCA staff are with the residents, always reaching out to ask if anyone needs something and checking in on those who may be struggling.
Timothy believes that if he had still been living on the streets when he received his cancer diagnosis, he would not be with us today. And even though he lost 10 years of his life due to homelessness, he will not let that stop him from living the rest of his life to the fullest. Timothy now loves giving his time to help others by serving on various Boards at the YMCA, Southeast Healthcare, ADAMH, and CSB. He knows better than most how difficult it can be to ask for help in your toughest moments, but he is also living proof that support, stability, and community can radically change people’s lives for the better.
