Author: homewardwnc

Folks in Permanent Supportive Housing are highly vulnerable individuals with physical and mental disabilities, and complex housing barriers. Most would not survive if left living on the streets. Tommy who lived in the Woodfin, Homeward Bound’s Permanent support Housing residence is a good example.

Tommy was homeless for 25 years before he came to Homeward Bound. He was a coal miner for decades in West Virginia and as a result of the awful conditions, he developed PTSD. He had chronic health issues from the coal mines and self-medicated with alcohol. His drinking led to losing his job, and ultimately, he lost his family. He traveled around from city to city working odd jobs. He got arrested for DUI and when he got out of jail he couldn’t find work, and started living on the streets.

In 2015, Homeward Bound moved him into an apartment. He was evicted from there because he couldn’t keep his apartment clean and had issues with the landlord. In 2017, we moved him into the Woodfin.

At 60 years old, Tommy had many serious health issues including end stage liver cancer, and alcohol and substance use disorders. If left living on the streets Tommy would have passed away.

But, through the Woodfin, Tommy was not only provided a home and a community, he was also connected to RHA for mental health treatment, Dale Fell and Mission Care Partners for medical treatment, and he’s had a really decent life for four years. 

Sadly, Tommy is now in a nursing home, and will most likely remain there. 

Tara is 33 and for years was in a very violent relationship with a man who was associated with an infamous biker gang. The violence continually increased and she finally managed to escape in 2012 and go into hiding. It took her four years before she could use her real name. 

During this time, Tara stayed on and off with friends, but mostly camped in the woods.

Tara came here in 2016 with the clothes on her back. She wanted a fresh start and had heard about “quirky” Asheville. She felt like she would fit in, so she took a chance and hitchhiked here. She arrived in Asheville with only the clothes on her back.

Tara felt triggered by the chaos at shelters where she stayed, so she made the choice to camp in the woods, where she felt she had more control over her environment, and was less traumatized. 

Tara was able to find housing on her own but was having difficulties. Homeward Bound Case Manager Jerry was at Deaverview one day in January of 2020, visiting a client, and came across Tara in the parking lot – – she was distressed about several unwanted guests at her apartment and was asking for help. Jerry connected Tara with case manager Phyllis Taylor who works with survivors of domestic violence who have experienced homelessness.

Tara has been successfully housed for a year. Living in the safety and security of a home enabled Tara to begin counseling and she is currently taking medication to ease symptoms of PTSD and the effects of long-term trauma. She has applied for disability and is following through with appointments and Tara has recently begun a new relationship. She feels she can trust people again.

Tara said, “I am just now beginning to get out into the world again and remember that I am a valuable, worthy human being and not disposable garbage.” 

Tara’s goal is to move closer to her mother and get a job in sales. Tara would like to be able to give back to the community with support by way of supplying camping gear and essentials for the homeless.

Tara wants people to understand that people are homeless because something happened to them, and they need help to get out (of the situation).

 She said, “I just want to thank Homeward Bound for supporting me and believing in me, and giving me a platform to start over. It’s unprecedented and I’m forever grateful.”

Ronnie spent most of his childhood in an orphanage in Atlanta. His father was an alcoholic and never home and his mother suffered from mental illness. He was placed in a children’s home when he was nine. 

At 18, Ronnie walked out of the children’s home with nothing but the clothes on his back. He had no money, no family and nowhere to go so he lived in the woods for a year. Ronnie is not the kind of person who gives up. He claims to not have much in the way of book smarts but plenty of street smarts and he eventually got a full-time job as a maintenance man for a motel. 

Life was good. For ten years he had a respectable job, a home, a wife and two kids and a truck, until one day he had an accident. Ronnie took on a side job painting a couple’s home and was replacing the shutters on the house when he fell 40 feet down the ladder and broke his heel bone and suffered some other injuries. With no health insurance, Ronnie could not have the surgery he so badly needed. He couldn’t walk for three years and lost everything. He tried to get disability income but was continually denied. For 20 years he lived in and out of shelters and on the streets.

Four years ago he walked into AHOPE and was assigned to Homeward Bound’s housing team. He was placed in public housing, where he lived for two years. He finally got his disability benefits and moved into an apartment with disability access features including walk-in showers, wider doorways, lower cabinets, and extra floor space. His apartment in a very safe neighborhood, with sidewalks and easy access to grocery shopping. 

Amanda, Ronnie’s case manager said, “Ronnie loves his new home. Despite his disabilities and using a walker, Ronnie loves to walk. He walks at least two miles every day. Ronnie has a heart of gold. After so many struggles in his life, he continues to have a great attitude and believes in being good to everyone.” 

Ronnie’s doctors think that he will be in a wheel chair by the end of the year, but Ronnie said that he will continue fighting no matter what comes his way.

 In 2016, a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which led to numerous and extended hospital visits, caused Paul to lose his job. Not long after losing employment, and stuck with a high number of medical bills he could not pay, Paul began sleeping in his car –  the weeks turned into months, and then years. 

During his time outdoors, Paul made several attempts to apply for housing on his own. He filled out applications with the City of Asheville for Section 8 housing, but with extremely long waiting lists, nothing came through. 

“Living in your car is hard,” Paul says. “If you want to be safe, you have to park where your car is visible to the public. Once I was parked on Leicester Highway and two guys tried to steal my car. I had to fight them to protect my car and myself. Violence isn’t good, but living on the street, it’s sometimes necessary. Also, in sleeping in your car, you get leg cramps, and you use up all your gas moving from place to place to avoid getting caught by the police. The ADP is good at their job. They find you fast.” 

Paul preferred to park his car in an Ingles parking lot where the manager turned a blind eye to his presence. 

“I was so appreciative of the manager who let me stay there that I would go around the parking lot and pick up trash for him. I wanted him to know I was grateful. There was also a lady who worked in the Ingles deli who would bring me a hot meal every day,” he says. “One day she found me in my car sick with pneumonia. She knocked on my window and when I didn’t answer, she called 911. She saved my life.”

Living unhoused made both Paul’s health condition and his ability to secure medication even more difficult. “I used alcohol to feel better,” he admits. It was a temporary fix that often made him feel worse later on. 

Then COVID hit. 

“During COVID I was afraid for my life. I couldn’t go to any of the food pantries because I didn’t want to be around too many people. There weren’t enough boundaries. With my health problems, I couldn’t get sick, I just wouldn’t survive.” 

It wasn’t until the creation of Homeward Bound’s Civilian Rapid Rehousing program that Paul was finally connected to his Homeward Bound case manager Flint. 

“We found a house really fast,” Paul says. “And it was the exact house I wanted. I couldn’t believe it. It was like divine intervention – no question about that.”  

Paul has been housed less than a month and already his health has improved. 

“It doesn’t make that sound when I breathe anymore. I’m getting better because I can take care of myself. I can cook my own food, and I sleep better. I’m not scared all the time.”

Flint and Paul will continue to work together to make sure Paul’s transition to his new home is successful. Flint will help Paul monitor his health, his medication, and his bills for up to nine months until Paul is able to live without support. 

Mae (called ‘Mama Mae’ by friends) experienced homelessness in both Tennessee and North Carolina, but her experience with Homeward Bound is the best she’s had. She recalls feeling like she was treated as less than human when she tried to get help in Tennessee. 

Mae said, “It’s very hard to live on the street. I’m a borderline diabetic– I could die out there. If I’m gonna die, I wanna die in my own bed.”

She had been in the Room in the Inn program and then when the pandemic hit she moved over to the Red Roof Inn and stayed there for four months. She kept to herself and mostly stayed in her room. She and her case manager, Flint, submitted applications to five or six different places before she got her current apartment.

Mae hopes she never has to move again because her new place feels like home to her. She’s enjoying having a place for all of her things and is hoping to purchase items for donation that will benefit other folks who have or are experiencing homelessness. Mae’s beloved dog, Bella, died shortly before she entered housing and she is hoping to get a new dog soon with the help of her case manager, Flint. 

Updated: 5/15/24

Laura is a survivor. After attempting to leave an abusive relationship several times, she finally left for good when her husband began to abuse her teenage son. Laura and her son moved to Asheville to be with her sister, but when she arrived, Laura discovered that her sister had passed away. She stayed in shelters a few months before learning about Homeward Bound, where she was directed to AHOPE and got on the waiting list for housing.

While waiting for housing, Laura joined the Room in the Inn program, where she moved from church to church. This transition was difficult for her, and she became depressed, stating “it’s not easy to be in a good mood when you’re homeless.” In 2010, Laura entered Homeward Bound’s Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) scattered site program.

The program found housing for Laura and provided her with case management. As she began to stabilize in housing, she started to feel like herself again. Laura shares how important the emotional support she received from her case manager Will Hurley and other Homeward Bound staff has been for her. Her affirmations make an impact on all those around her. “Laura was always so positive. I would leave and feel better, because she had such a positive outlook”, says Will.

After living somewhere 12 years, Laura and Will began discussing her goal of finding a new comfortable place in preparation for program graduation. Will recalls “Laura always was really motivated and goal driven. She always wanted to give back and help others. She had a community of women who would meet weekly and encourage and support each other. She also had a lot of people that she would visit with and support. She was really well known in the community”.

After a year of searching, Laura finally found a new home and moved into a little cottage that she loves. “Being in a permanent home makes me feel safe and happy,” says Laura. “Having a roof over my head and not sharing a room gives me a sense of freedom.”

Laura graduated from Homeward Bound’s PSH program in September 2022. In visiting with her nearly two years later this Spring, she is proud to show us her home with her flowers in full bloom. Spending most of her time doing inspirational reading, Laura feels it’s important to remain grateful. She looks forward to what each new season will bring.

When Dwight was 17, his mother took his father’s life when she shot him repeatedly in the back.  Dwight was confused and angry and began trying to relieve his pain with drugs and alcohol.  Despite all this, he excelled at basketball and when he graduated high school was offered a college basketball scholarship.

Dwight’s pain, anger, and self-medication continued in college and he ended up dropping out. He got married and had two kids, but all the while he struggled with PTSD and extreme shame and guilt. Dwight felt that he didn’t fit in anywhere or with anyone. He eventually got divorced and separated from his family, which led to his homelessness.

Dwight moved around a lot, living outside and sleeping at bus stops, in tents, and in shelters and hotels, for more than six years. He eventually ended up at AHOPE where the staff enrolled him at the Red Roof Inn to shelter during the pandemic. 

That’s when Dwight met Homeward Bound Case Manager Elizabeth Bowers, whose compassionate, non-judgmental support opened his eyes. 

“She helped me get a grip and get stable. Knowing someone cared made a big difference and gave me confidence.” Dwight opened up and allowed the help that Elizabeth offered and in December, he moved into a home.

“Having a home helped me develop boundaries. Boundaries gave me an identity and self-worth and the ability to protect myself.”

Dwight has reconnected with his family after 12 years and is getting to know his many grand kids, ages six to twelve. He’s working as a cook two days a week at the Salvation Army, taking the bus to see friends and family, and loves spending time at his home. 

I have a client, Donna, who has been successfully housed with HB since 2014. Prior to housing, Donna was constantly getting arrested, going to jail and the hospital, mainly for reasons related to substance use. Donna was also receiving intensive mental health services, as she was not stable. 

Over the last 7 years she has been arrested once and has not used any substances in several years (even quit smoking). Donna now has income as she was awarded disability benefits several years ago and has a vehicle which has allowed her to become increasingly more independent. Donna no longer requires a mental health provider since she is able to self-regulate without psychotropic medication.

Donna has a lovely 3 bedroom/2 bathroom trailer in the country and is on her way to graduating from the program.

Bronya’s father never gave up on her. Not when she moved into a tent that became her home for five years, or when she lived in a camper for three more. 

Bronya finally escaped the cruelty and violence of the man she was involved with for more than a decade. She suffered constant beatings and verbal abuse. Her self-esteem was destroyed and she started using drugs to dull the pain. 

Bronya’s life was never easy but being homeless was the worst. It was lonely and scary. When she lived outside, she had to watch out for copperheads and other wild animals. Coyotes came so close to her tent that she could hear them breathe, and listening to the eerie growl of the bobcats was terrifying. 

Her father checked in on her daily while she was living outside and ultimately was the main motivation for her to become sober and live in recovery. Bronya has been in recovery now for more than two years. 

The only good thing about living outside was meeting Nubs, Bronya’s little Chihuahua. The woman whose land she pitched her tent on, forced one of her puppies on Bronya despite her refusals. That first night, it was so cold in the tent that when Bronya awoke, Nubs was curled up and snuggled around her face. “Now that’s real love.” And since then, they’ve never been apart. 

Homeward Bound moved Bronya and Nubs into their own home last October. Right around that time, she was hospitalized with pneumonia and diagnosed with COPD and told she’d be on an inhaler for the rest of her life.

“She is so much healthier since she moved into housing,” exclaimed Bronya’s Case Manager Anne Greene. “She’s outdoors all the time gardening, sleeping, and eating better. Before, she had no refrigeration and could only eat packaged foods. Now Bronya eats salads that she grows, her emotional health has improved, and the doctor has taken her off the inhaler.”

Bronya, who was a landscaper for 18 years before she became homeless, is an expert and innovative gardener. She found plant material all over her property, along with pieces of “found art”, and turned a barren landscape into lovely, fanciful little gardens. Bronya loves her home and looks forward to creating more unique garden spaces.

 “Don’t give up on people who are homeless,” muses Bronya.“ Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you’re not somebody. You just fell on hard times. There’s more to a person’s story than just that.”

Bronya is still writing her story; a beautiful landscape yet to be finished. Watch an interview with Bronya here.

Matthew grew up a tough kid in New York City. He had a falling out with his parents and a judge granted him emancipation when he was 16. With no parental support, Matthew raised himself and did the best he could. He lived in the basement of a pizza parlor, on the streets, in abandoned cars. 

As an adult, Matthew’s life continued on a difficult path. He always worked very physical jobs like roofing, cutting down trees, replacing floors, home construction. That life took a toll on his body – he fractured his spine, had bone spurs in his neck, arthritic feet, and bad knees. He had five surgeries in three years and began to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol to deal with the pain. That led to jail time and more homelessness.

When you talk to Matthew, who is now 59, he makes no excuses for his life. But, he also recognizes that when you’re homeless, you have no civil rights.  He’s been arrested over and over again for nuisance crimes like carrying an open container; once the container was in his backpack and he still got arrested. 

Matthew exclaimed, “When you’re arrested, you accumulate court fees which you can’t pay, and so you go back to jail. When you’re older and homeless and don’t have a car, no one will hire you, so you can’t pay off your debts. Then you become more of an alcoholic, more of a criminal. The system is geared to keep you homeless.”

Matthew finally accessed housing when he came to AHOPE. “Asking for help was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do as a man. I was always self-sufficient. But I knew if I stayed on the streets any longer, I’d be a dead man.” 

Matthew’s case manager worked hard to find him the right living situation and once he moved into a home, his life turned around. 

Matthew explained, “Since I’ve been housed, I’ve had no problem with the law and all I’ve done is try to improve my life. I got my health taken care of, no more opioids, and I was able to get off most of the other meds. They had me on seven different medications – antidepressants, anti-anxieties. Now, when I’m down I can assess mental health services. I’m becoming more holistic, eating healthier and exercising, doing yoga. Getting people housed, is the best thing you can do for them!”

Having a home has brought out Matthew’s creative side. He finds treasures in thrift stores and junk shops and turns them into works of art.

“Other people buy art; I turn old things into masterpieces.”