125 Faces of VOA

“My life fell apart to the point where I became homeless, and even lost contact with my daughter, which will always be the biggest regret of my life.”

“When I was just two years old, I started learning braille so that I could help my dad. When he realized my interest in learning, he poured every dollar and every ounce of his energy into ensuring that I would get a fair chance at success.”

“Throughout the pandemic, as parts of our programs had to close down and we had to shift, the greatest thing is the way we have all worked together.”

“I knew that I had to get out of my living situation, but the fear of homelessness worried me more than living in the abuse.”

“If you go back on your side of town, you will die.”

“When I finally told some of my friends that I lived in a shelter, they couldn’t believe it. I thought they’d see me as an outcast but they didn’t.”

“In October, 2017, I lost my three sons—Erik, 16; Devon, 12; and Ezekiel, 7 to a senseless act of violence.”

“Then, when he became abusive to our oldest son, I knew that I was not going to subject my children to what I had experienced as a teenager from my stepfather. I chose to leave.”

“I am extremely worried about the long-term effects the pandemic will have on healthcare professionals, including myself. I fear that there may be a shortage of professionals in the next 3-5 years because of burnout.”

“One of the staff members recently said, ‘It’s tenants like Patrick, that makes serving others a treasure.’”