On this episode of 'Homeless in San Diego: Real People, Real Stories,' host Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, welcomes Bill and returning guest, Lauren Pollick. This time around, Lauren, Shelters Program Manager at Interfaith, invites Bill to talk about his experience with our organization. Having endured a struggle that is familiar to many who have experienced homelessness, Bill’s story of addiction is an important lesson to learn from.
According to Bill, the grip that addiction has on you is a torturous one. Alcohol not only crippled his self-esteem, but also quite literally crippled his body. Bound to a walker and unable to take a step, it took the intervention of Interfaith’s Case Manager, Holly, to keep him alive. Fortunately, Bill was treated at a rehabilitation center just in time, but the true core of this story came right after. As he walked out of the hospital and willingly made his way back to Interfaith, he symbolically took the first and most important steps on the path to recovery: his own.
Now six months later, we are thankful to say that Bill is an anticipating graduate of our shelter programs with a place to call his own lined up… and at the age of 62 has returned to school. Now that’s what we call a lesson, folks.
Calls to Action:
Please give us a call at (760) 618-6811. We want to hear your messages about your good deeds. Tell us what you do to bring love to our world. We will be sharing those stories in future episodes.
It Takes a Village: Volunteer your services to help those who need it most. Learn more about how you can volunteer by visiting our website.
Believe in Change: A little support goes a long way. Bill was successful because we had faith in him. It may make the difference between someone continuing the cycle of homelessness or regaining their life.
Homeless Court: Interfaith has programs that could help you navigate the legal system or reduce/forgive legal fines. For more information about how you can receive this service, please call (760) 489-6380, and speak to our front desk staff.