A place to call home - Stephen’s story

A place to call home -Stephen’s story

Each person who comes through the doors of Progress has a one-of-a-kind history and background, unique to their own life’s journey. Some have rich connections and are in need of support to simply embark on a new pathway, like employment or community connections. Others have greater needs and less resources, making moving forward difficult even in the best of circumstances. 

Stephen came to Progress after years of an incredible challenge. He had experienced three heart attacks and strokes, and lived in a government apartment. His financial situation and disabilities made paying rent difficult. In the past he had been able to make ends meet by doing odd jobs like buying air conditioning units in the winter, fixing them up and selling them for a profit in the summer. However, this was not enough to cover all of his expenses, and eventually he lost his apartment and found himself out on the streets. As a person who had never previously experienced homelessness, he didn’t know where to turn, so he went to his church for help. Luckily, friends from the church offered to provide temporary housing in an outdoor barn on their property. The makeshift housing was miles better than living on the streets, but it is still what he considers to be the lowest point of his life.  

An electric cord supplied electricity to the barn so that he was able to have a portable heater and air conditioning unit in the hottest months, but without running water, it was not an ideal living situation. The space couldn’t get warm enough in the winter, or cool enough in the summer, and with a constant concern about snakes, mountain lions and bears in the area he never felt fully comfortable or safe. Not to mention, any valuables he had in the space couldn’t be secured completely when he left. Still, Stephen was incredibly grateful to his friends for their generosity, and helped pay the electric bill each month to cover the costs he drew through the outdoor extension cord.  

When staff at Progress learned through the grapevine of his living conditions, we immediately knew there was a way to help. Nassa Toles, Transition CLS Senior Manager, visited Stephen in Cleveland, TN and told him he didn’t need to worry about having a place to stay. He qualified for a senior program called CHOICES. Through CHOICES, he would be able to receive housing, have meals cooked for him, and have support staff available to assist with his needs. 

Stephen applied for and was approved for the program, and since then has never looked back. He now lives with a roommate, has help getting to appointments, and is able to get to the grocery store. He lives in a duplex with a ramp in front of it, which was a nice surprise, according to him. Consistent shelter, meals, medical care and support to get through his day is something he never imagined would be possible. For anyone considering applying for the program, Stephen shared emphatically, “Go for it, it’s a good thing. Get off the street, that ain’t no place to be.” 

Without the weight of worrying about having a roof over his head, Stephen is now able to spend more time on one of his true passions – music. He plays autoharp and the harmonica, and has written a few “number one hit songs,” they just haven’t been heard by the right people yet. He sang a few of them and played a couple of tunes on the harmonica during the interview, and his happiness and sense of contentment came shining through. Life hasn’t always been easy for Stephen, but it sure sounds good now. 

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