“Where do you live?” It’s a simple question probably asked an infinite number of times every day around the world. But for the homeless, the answer is difficult, depressing, and even painful because it brings to mind the myriad problems that have left a person with no place to live.
At 43, Steve Thomas is no longer homeless. On Jan. 26, he was handed the keys to a modest apartment in the Goldsmith Lane area. This officially ended a 10-year bout with a very formidable opponent, homelessness. Steve’s first step toward this important day in his life began when he walked into St. John Center for Homeless Men.
St. John Center prides itself on giving chronically homeless guests a real opportunity to rescue themselves from the daily struggle of homelessness. To that end, the Center recently implemented a Housing Case Management program, the goal of which is to help homeless men obtain and maintain safe, decent, affordable housing.
Steve Thomas is a great example of the success of the HCM program, and the positive impact St. John Center has on the lives of those it serves. Steve was facing a lot of challenges when he first arrived at SJC in the spring of 2000. His life had been taken over by drugs, alcohol and mental illness.
Steve was already using marijuana and cocaine when he was diagnosed as bi-polar. He also suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and seizures. These problems eventually led to homelessness and kept Steve in that unhappy state on and off for the last 10 years.
During this darkest period of his life, Steve availed himself of the services at a number of local shelters. But his luck changed one day when he met Sister Jeanne Niehaus, a member of the St. John Center staff who was providing case management for several men participating in the Center’s recovery program. Sister Jeanne encouraged Steve to come to St. John Center. For whatever reason, he took Jeanne’s advice, and it wound up being one of the best decisions he ever made.
Heidi Solarz-Kutz, who oversees the Housing Case Management program at St. John Center, soon went to work to find Steve a place of his own. On his behalf, she applied for a subsidy through the Kentucky Housing Corporation. Steve soon found himself unlocking the front door of his own apartment. “I was very surprised that I was approved so quickly. The apartment is a lot nicer than I expected. It’s a piece of heaven on Earth,” said Steve.
Steve and Heidi struck a deal, made a contract if you will. Most important, Steve must demonstrate his commitment to gaining control of his life by allowing Heidi to manage his case for the next five years. In addition, Steve agrees to address his addictions, as well as his physical and mental health, maintain a long period of sobriety, have a sponsor and attend meetings regularly. He must also abide by the lease requirements.
Since he moved in, Steve has received a helping hand from a husband and wife who volunteer at SJC. The couple donated bedding, clothing, food and household supplies to Steve to get him off to a good start. Even Steve’s landlord came up with some furniture for his apartment.
Steve has already met several of his neighbors. “The people here are terrific. They’re friendly and helpful. They treat me just like everyone else,” Steve said.
All this success has Steve contemplating a future that is filled with potential rather than despair. “Instead of always feeling like life is passing me by, now I feel like I’m part of it. I feel more ‘normal’ than I have been in a long time. I’d really like to go back to college and become a chemical dependency counselor,” said Steve.
This is a huge change in attitude for a homeless person. Steve is living proof that homeless doesn’t have to mean hopeless.