Colleen: Tell me about your childhood and then how you became homeless.
Al: I was born in Rhode Island, a small town in Rhode Island. My mom and dad got divorced when I was 7 or 8. Father was an alcoholic. Chronic alcholic. Once my mom and dad got divorced my mom decided to move to Florida so my mom packed me and my brother up and we moved to Florida I never went to HS. I quit school in 9th. My girlfriend got pregnant. We were both 15 years old. I had my first child when I was 15. And then I was introduced to crack cocaine. That was 1985, 1986. I went to rehab. I was with her. He was born while I was in rehab. I got out of rehab and she was 17 and stayed clean and sober for 4 years. After that I relapsed. Ever since then I have been in out of jail. I spent my life in department of corrections. Dealing with addiction. So, just got out. I spent 7.5 years. I just got out not long ago. I did so much damage in the past to people. Burnt so many bridges when I was on drugs that nobody wants to help me or anything like that. My family don’t want to talk me, nothing like that. So now I am homeless pretty much. I do not have any ID. I have a department of corrections ID. So any job I applied for as soon as they see that they do not even want to look at me, they dont want to talk to me. I’m having a hard time. Now I am here trying to get some clothes and stuff like that.
Colleen: What brought you here (to Matthew's Hope)?
Al: A friend of mine told me about it. Another homeless person told me.
Colleen: Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Al: Well, as long as I stay clean and sober I see myself, if somebody will actually hire me with my record, I see myself probably having a decent future. I do the best I can with my record. As long as I stay clean and sober that is my main goal.
Colleen: Did you have a goal in life when you were younger? Something that you wanted to do?
Al: Like I said, you know me and my wife we had our son really young and we did not have time to set goals or nothing like that. We had irresponsible sex, you know, puberty, and all of that and then we had 2 more sons after that right behind each other. They live in (south Florida). She divorced me when I went to prison. She has remarried.
Colleen: Have you seen your children?
Al: I seen then a few months ago. they are grown now. I mean, they are doing alright.
Colleen: Do they know about you, where you are now?
Al: Yeah, they know.
Colleen: Looking back, what would you do differently?
Al: Maybe if my mom would not have moved me to Florida. If there was some way that her and my dad could resolve. My dad would have gotten help for his alcoholism, but then I would not be here and I would have never met my ex-wife. I would have never been here. I would have never dealt with the crack issues they have here, AIDS, you know. I think that if i had just never came here I would have been a lot better off. But then again I just have the personality that it could have happened anywhere, you know what I mean.
Colleen: (Without sounding 'preachy' I asked everyone a quick question about church) Do you attend church?
Al: No. I have not found a church yet. I have only been out a couple weeks and I am just trying to survive. You know what i mean.
Colleen: Describe a typical day.
Al: Typical day for me is get up, sleep in the woods, get up and try to find a job. Try to find something to eat. Just try to make it through the day without using drugs and alcohol basically.
Colleen: Do you live in the same place all the time?
Al: Yeah. Last week was my first week here. You are not going to believe it. They (Matthew's Hope) gave me a tent. They gave me a sleeping bag, everything I needed. This is only my second time here. I am amazed at how much help they give here to people. I cannot believe how they can fund it. It feels like kind of a community situation. Like I said it is only my 2nd time here. I really do not know anybody. There are a couple of people that I used to use with that are here that are clean and sober now, and uh, they seem to have their act together and they seem to like it here. I mean they do a lot here for people. I cannot believe it.
** More with Al next time.
Realistic story, usually the person and families have a sad childhood fill with abuse, alcohol and mental illness. There are no mentors, teachers or angels who help them through the darkness. The environment aids in making bad choices and leave down dead ends. It is good to have church and community programs that assist the homeless. Also please remember some homeless were the working poor who were release and lose their salaries and could not paid the housing and became homeless. There in an infusion of funds for the homeless in all states and agencies out there non-profit and profit who's mission is to aid the displaced individual. In NY there are temporary programs called the Living Room and they are the P.o.boxes, warm food and showers and volunteers who help the homeless get back on track, also there are ministers and preachers who give God's guidance to go into recovery. The homeless are not just sterotyped anymore, they are your loved ones down on their luck. Take care of each other as we are meant too. Thank you for caring.
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