TRAGEDIES PUT YOUTH ON THE STREETS

Bryant, 21, wasn’t always homeless.  When he was 14, his stepfather had a stroke, which caused him to lose his job. The following year, his mother had a stroke and lost her job.

With no income coming into the household, Bryant’s family suffered. They lived with various relatives, staying in about six places in a year. At 18, he started looking out for himself.

With the help of Outreach, Bryant now lives in an apartment.

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 “I’ve never actually had to sleep on the street.  (I would ask relatives) if we could come and sleep on the couch or, if they had an available bedroom, stay for a month.

 “I have a warehouse job. It ranges from five hours to 12 hours, day shift, so there’s different jobs each day, or maybe one job for three weeks or something like that.  So however long they ask me, that’s how long (I’ll work.)

 “I have a home, but I’m still homeless. I’m still not secure in my home and I don’t have a skilled job. I don’t work every day.  I don’t have money to where I can go do what I want, and I still need a lot of assistance.

 “Before I really got my apartment, I carried a bookbag that had like everything that I needed, like my ID, my Social Security card. Also pictures of my family and just stuff that remind me to face things I guess.

“I work really hard to get the stuff that I got, and people who have more don’t appreciate what they got. But it doesn’t bother me.  I’m not jealous or wish I had their life.

“I was one of those people that didn’t appreciate what I had. I didn’t take care of it the way I should have, the way I wish I did.

“Without Outreach, I would probably still be homeless. Something that everybody should know is that even though everybody here is very committed, they won’t push (religion) on you. They won’t force you to agree with them. They’ll answer your questions. They will do everything that they can do to help you. They will help you as long as you help yourself.

“In a few years I hope that I’ll be mature, with a job skill and my home, my family. I hope that I don’t necessarily have a lot, but I just hope that I’ll be in a place where I don’t have to stretch myself out. A peaceful place.”

Copyright 2011 Y-Press