Living without a home often feels lonely and scary. Those are the words Annalisa chose to describe what her life was like when she was homeless. When she came to Goodwill for help it was the middle of winter, the hardest time of the year to be homeless. Not only was she dealing with the cold, but she also had mental and physical disabilities which made life more difficult.
Annalisa began to find safety meeting with her case managers every week. They became her cheerleaders and support system. With the genuine care and help she was finally feeling, she began to have hope that her situation could get better. While one case manager helped her understand what she needed to be eligible for services, the other helped her find an apartment. She said, “There is no way I could have done this on my own.”
So, what all changed for Annalisa? Everything. The help she received completely turned her world around. She is now housed, and for the first time in a long time feels stable and safe. Not only that, but she is looking into starting her own business. “I don’t feel hopeless. I have hope. I have a light at the end of the tunnel feeling. I’m in such a good place because of all the help I have received from Goodwill,” she said.
Now that she is in a safe place of her own, she has a new hobby: plants! She enjoys working with her plants, and spending time at home with her dog. Thankfully, Annalisa will always have a place to go for help. Without the help from Goodwill, she doesn’t think she would be alive today. “Without Goodwill I don’t think I would have made it on the streets.”