Dave lost everything in the flood. His home. His relationships. His family. Himself.

With nowhere else to turn, Dave moved in with his parents until he could get back on his feet.

“I moved back home with my parents after the flood,” shared Dave. “But my mom was lost in her own addiction and wasn’t able to offer me any support. Needing to find somewhere else to go, I reconnected with an ex.”

Feeling alone and afraid, Dave found comfort in a lifestyle he wasn’t proud of. After reconnecting with his ex-partner, they quickly found themselves relying on drugs again to cope with all of the pain and uncertainty.

FINDING COURAGE

Dave knew he didn’t want to be living this lifestyle, but he wasn’t sure how to escape it. He was so disappointed in himself for relapsing, and struggled to see past it. He was losing hope.

One day, he found the courage to ask for help and went into rehab. At first, his friend was attending with him, but he lost the strength to battle his addiction. Dave made the difficult choice to disconnect from old friends who were negative influences so he could focus on rebuilding his life.

HOME SWEET HOME

After living in his car for several months, Dave found refuge at a local shelter and was connected with Home to Stay.

“My social worker at Home to Stay is the best,” Dave shared. “She’s been so supportive and really listened to me without judging me for the choices I had made.”

Dave finally felt like he was getting back on track and was able to start rebuilding his life. After connecting with Home to Stay, he quickly found an apartment he could afford.

They helped him secure furniture and provided him groceries and gas cards to help him get started. They even helped him get moved into his new place.

“I don’t feel as insecure anymore,” he said. “I can’t imagine if I was still homeless. I probably would have given up by now. Getting connected to Home to Stay has been the best thing that’s happened all year. They are life-savers.”

Now Dave is advocating for others battling addiction and homelessness, connecting them with the resources that helped him rebuild his life.

“Don’t be too afraid to ask for help,” shared Dave. “There is help out there, and it changes everything.”