Having It All

By her mid-twenties Elaine seemed to have it all–four children, a home, and a husband with a good job as a police officer. From the outside everything was great, but on the inside Elaine felt something was missing, so Elaine began hanging out, trying to be “part of the crowd.”  She started using drugs, believing she wouldn’t become addicted.

She did, and eventually she lost her home and kids. Ultimately, Elaine spent ten years on the streets. “I was doing what I had to do to survive,” she explains.  After a decade Elaine was tired and ready to change her life when she met an outreach coordinator from Off the Streets^SM.

Elaine credits Off the Streets^SM with helping her secure food, a place to stay, and an ID.  She says that the program “helped with all the things you need to be part of society.”  The program may have provided Elaine with the basics but she is working hard to create her own successes in life.  Elaine secured a part time job and has been sober over five months.  She says that she is “trying to get a foundation built so when I get out [graduate from the program] I can build a better life without drugs or prostitution–I’m building self-esteem.”

Today, having it all means something very different to Elaine.  It means an appreciation of life: “God has blessed me with so much.  I probably had it [before] but didn’t see it because of drugs.”

Thank you for helping Elaine change her life.