Tommy has always had a knack for learning fast. As the youngest child in his family, he found himself looking up to his siblings and community for guidance.
Unfortunately, as he grew up, Tommy became enmeshed in a crowd that didn’t have his betst interests at heart. “The streets were there…I got caught up in all that,” he explains.
By the age of 16, Tommy had been certified as an adult in the justice system beginning a period of incarceration. Without the opportunities to learn critical adult skills, Tommy wasn’t sure how to create a new life when he was released for the second time in 2011.
Without those critical tools, Tommy experienced housing insecurity. “I was homeless for five years…living in motel rooms, walking around until the sun came up. It was just about surviving,” he shares.
When Tommy first arrived at Presbyterian Night Shelter, he says he felt called to be here spiritually. He ready to commit to changing his life, and our helpful staff was ready to provide the support he needed.
Everything you need to get back on your feet is here,” Tommy says. “They did it all – birth certificate, Social Security, ID. They got me back into being a functional citizen.”
Tommy also applied to our UpSpire Furniture program, where he is learning carpentry skills. “This is a full 180 for me. To know the furniture we make goes to families and kids who need it…it’s incredible to be a part of that.”
The program is no only providing Tommy with a new passion and valuable career training, but it’s also giving him an opportunity to connect with fellow participants in a meaningful way.
Whe the tools he’s gained over seven months at Presbyterian Night Shelter, Tommy is optimistic about a stronger, healthier future. He’s currently on the housing wait list and planning to create a home with his girlfriend. “I have looked back,” he says happily.
