Last July Rachel was 23 years old, six months pregnant, and homeless; while walking the aisles of a local grocery store for what seemed like an eternity, she was struck by the realization that she had no place to turn. After having been in the store for several hours, she was finally asked to leave by the store’s security.
Rachel had spent the last several months “couch surfing” at different friend’s houses until eventually the hospitality ran out. She had heard about Clare House and decided it was time to find out more about the shelter.
Rachel grew up in a household where substance abuse was not only accepted but was the norm. She has spent the past year grieving — for her Mother, who died recently of an alcohol related illness and for her two children that were removed from her care due to her own substance abuse issues. Fortunately, Rachel was motivated by the death of her mother and the love for her children to change her life and has entered a treatment program.
Rachel brought her daughter, Autumn Rose, back to Clare House after she was born in October. “Autumn Rose is just a little baby, but my love for her and my two kids in OCS custody has kept me sober,” explains Rachel. “I don’t want to end up like my mother. Both my parents were very hard drinkers and my Dad is very sick now.”
Rachel’s case manager remembers coming to work at 7:30 a.m. many mornings in August & September and seeing Rachel walking to the bus stop to attend her out-patient treatment. With guidance from her case manager, Rachel was able to access public assistance and get into public housing.
Rachel is determined to make her life better by looking to the future and doing what it takes to stay sober. “This past year has been the hardest of my life but it has also been a wakeup call,” Rachel explains. Rachel plans to move out of Clare House very soon and is excited at the prospect of working again. She likes working with people and hopes to be a cashier.
“The staff members at Clare House have been kind to me; I am sad about leaving and perhaps a little afraid. My experience at Clare House was so much more than I expected. I received support and encouragement, meals and clothing; it’s really a good program,” Rachel explained.
The doors of Clare House were open to Rachel and Autumn Rose and 468 other women and children last fiscal year because of financial support from donors. Many like Rachel didn’t seek help until they were in desperate need. Clare House is truly a shelter from the storm.
Leslie Pridgen has left Brother Francis Shelter for a better life. Leslie stayed at BFS for nearly a year saving money, changing his diet to control his Diabetes, participating in the shelter “in-house” volunteer program, looking for paid employment and working with his case manager. “Brother Francis Shelter gave me a chance to really focus on my goals. They really helped me to improve myself because I didn’t have to worry and stress about where I would lay my head at night or where I would find my next meal” Leslie explained.
Leslie came North on a bit of a whim. He was living in Florida in 2002 and an elderly friend asked him to help drive her car to Anchorage. He was at a point in his life where an adventure sounded intriguing so he agreed. He spent his first five years in Alaska fishing in Dutch Harbor. In 2007, he was facing homelessness due to unemployment and health issues. Due to his Type II Diabetes he was unable to finish out his last contract with his employer in Dutch Harbor.
“I am a man of Faith. I am so grateful to God that Brother Francis Shelter was available to me. You see, if you take one step God will take two and that is what you have to do to improve your life. I have walked around in the cold before dragging a suitcase behind me with no place to go. It’s not a fun situation to be in. It’s really pretty scary” Leslie reports.
Leslie is currently working at Hope Cottages as a Relief Individual Support Specialist. He has been there nearly a year and finds meaning in helping people who have developmental and physical disabilities. He treats people with respect and considers himself a “people person” - these skills served him well during his stay at the shelter. He worked the front desk during “prime time” from 3 p.m. – 11 p.m.
“I followed the rules when I was at the shelter. Following the staff’s recommendations really helped me – I was able to pay three months rent upfront when I moved into my apartment. Saving money is really important. I am saving now to make a down payment on a condo. That is my next goal; you always have to have a goal!”
Leslie is self-disciplined, motivated and appreciates the importance of sticking to a plan – be it housing or health related. He has controlled his diabetes with diet (having lost 70 pounds since he was diagnosed). He credits a Diabetes Educator at Anchorage Neighborhood Health Clinic with helping him understand and manage his disease. Leslie was encouraged by BFS staff to join Lutheran Social Services transitional housing program for single men. He lived at the transitional program for three months prior to securing the studio apartment he is currently living in.
Now that Leslie has secured stable employment and housing and has gotten his diabetes under control he plans to work on his credit record and return to school to improve his skills. “BFS was great for me — but I never plan to be a guest there again!” he exclaims.
Olga Alvarez was born feisty in 1927 and is every bit as feisty today – 81 years later. Olga is fighting breast cancer, living at Brother Francis Shelter (BFS) and pursuing employment opportunities with the Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training program – a part-time job program to learn computer skills through Nine Star. She needs to work part-time to supplement her social security income.
After an active life raising children and backpacking around the world staying in hostels, she visited Anchorage in 1990. She fell in love with the city and eventually settled in Muldoon. Unfortunately, she slipped and fell on the ice in 2001 and her concerned daughter came up from Los Angeles and took her back home with her.
Olga describes herself as “a very independent woman.” She wasn’t comfortable living with her daughter and being “mothered.” She received what she described as sub-standard healthcare in Los Angeles when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She wanted to come home to Anchorage, be independent again and receive care at Providence.
An Anchorage friend invited Olga to come and live with her and her 5 children. This arrangement worked for a few months but the small house and active children created unbearable household stress. Olga visited BFS to see if she would be comfortable staying there. She was very relieved to find BFS clean, safe, warm and friendly.
Olga is very good at getting around town on the bus and is familiar with the Providence campus – so much so that she recently escorted a much younger BFS guest to his doctor’s appointment.
Ronnie Arnett, Olga’s case manager at BFS, has worked very closely with Providence to complete the paperwork necessary to secure a place for Olga at Chugach View, a housing program for disabled individuals and seniors. Olga will be leaving BFS soon to move into this facility. Ronnie also assisted Olga in securing an additional $250 a month from the Adult Public Assistance program and encouraged Olga to work with the job training program. Olga is tremendously grateful that BFS was available to her during her time of need. “I appreciate the staff at BFS with all my heart” she says.
Ronnie wholeheartedly agrees with Olga when she admits that she is “not the kind of woman to give up.” Olga has stayed at the shelter for 3 months diligently working on a housing plan, saving her social security money, commuting to Providence for care and helping out others in the shelter whenever she can.
Olga is definitely not giving up — she has dreams of the future that help get her through this rough period of her life. “Once I am better I plan to visit Brazil and Peru,” she says.
Claude & Kayissan will never forget the family meeting they attended in November 2001. The memorable meeting where their loved ones urged them to take their kids and leave the country – to leave the only home they have ever known.
Claude had been a librarian for over 20 years in Lome, Togo in Africa – he and Kayissan’s home. Along with being a librarian he was one of 5 district leaders in the Union Forces for Change (UFC) political party. UFC is in opposition to the ruling government known for horrific human rights abuses. Claude and Kayissan acknowledge that Lome has been a violent place from their very first memories where kidnappings and assaults are common occurrences. That is precisely why Claude thought it was important to join the UFC and try to change his community so that people need not live their lives in fear.
Unfortunately, the President of the ruling government lived in Claude’s district so it was incredibly dangerous for Claude and his family. The President wanted all UFC sympathizers out of his neighborhood and Claude & Kayissan’s extended family was understandably concerned.
Claude & Kayissan fled to Bamako, Mali in Africa. There they lived in very harsh conditions for seven years waiting for resettlement - so harsh that they had very little access to healthcare for their five children. Healthcare for refugees in Bamako consisted of 40 appointment slots a week – 26 weeks out of the year (20 appointments, 2 days a week, December – June). Once Kayissan walked six kilometers when their 4-year-old son was very sick only to be told that she was too late and all 20 slots were taken – she had to walk back with a very sick child.
The couple chose to live in the city of Bamako rather than the designated refugee camp because the educational opportunities in the camp were very poor and education is very important to the family. Claude worked as a teacher in the city teaching French to middle & high school students. Their oldest son (who is now 18) graduated from high school in Bamako.
The family moved to Anchorage in May. Claude & Kayissan found out they were coming to Anchorage once they arrived in New York – he relates an amusing tale of not understanding the abbreviation “AK.” They all wondered where the “awk” was that was listed on their nametags. He had to ask an immigration employee - she explained that it was Alaska – “Oh, Alaska – I knew that the US Government had purchased it from Russia and that it was cold but that was all I knew.”
Since their arrival they have been surprised by many things including extended daylight (they had no idea when to go to bed), moose roaming the city and the mountains – comments made by many of our tourists!
Claude says he feels tremendous gratitude for finally having a home again (the family has not slept in beds since 2001 when they left Lome) and for access to healthcare for his kids. He was astounded when his family was greeted by three smiling Catholic Social Services employees at the airport and taken to a fully-furnished home.
The support he and his family has received since arriving (a home, a bike, bus tokens & schedule, taxi tickets, English classes, job training, volunteering opportunities, etc) has meant a great deal to him – he is very happy for his immediate family but very concerned with those still living in misery in refugee camps, in cities unprepared to assist refugees (like Bamako) and for those living in daily violence due to their government.
When asked how he feels about living in America he says – “I feel like a bird, free, very free, liberty is an amazing feeling.”