“Jeremy” is no stranger to hardship. After spending 5 years in prison, he began his housing journey with many barriers to conquer. But nothing would stop his incredible drive and determination to move forward. When he was invited to an affordable housing complex through HOSWWA, he worked hard to overcome the barrier of his criminal conviction to become successfully housed. Since then, Jeremy has completely transformed his life with a newfound sense of purpose.
“Since before I even got out of prison, I knew that I wanted to be a counselor,” he begins. “I knew I had to work with people in recovery.” To make that dream a reality, Jeremy started working as a client aide at a homeless shelter. He also enrolled in school, where he consistently maintained a 4.0 GPA. This June, he’ll graduate with an associate’s degree in Substance Use Disorders. “I plan on going for my bachelor’s and then my master’s in social work,” he adds.
Today, Jeremy is working as a substance use disorder professional trainee, known as an SUDPT. He’s enrolled in the FSS program and working towards self-sufficiency, where he is proving to be dedicated to his goals of education, financial stability, homeownership and giving back. “I continually work toward being better than I was yesterday. That’s all I can do,” he reflects. Jeremy thanks the FSS program for being an important part of his transformation. “There is no downside to being in the program. It’s free money, and you get a coach that will help you learn how to save money, make goals, and help you along the way. [They] make me feel like I matter, that what I do matters. I feel like I have a teammate, and that I have someone rooting for me.”