Trisha’s Story

Homelessness is a national issue, not just a local one. This blog primarily has a focus on homelessness in Oregon but here's an inspiring east coast story.

Housing First is an approach to resolving homelessness that focuses on providing individuals with stable homes as soon as possible, without expecting them to achieve certain standards or demonstrate sobriety before being housed. This approach has proved successful in many places around the world, with several success stories following its path. Friends of Boston’s Homeless is an organization that uses this Housing first approach, this organization has highlighted the enormous positive impact that housing first has had on many individuals.  The Organization does not list the last name of the individuals on their website but shares many stories of individuals who have been impacted by its programs. 

The Friends of Boston's Homeless has a webpage that tells the story of Trisha, a lady whose life was greatly changed by the FOBH. Trisha is a mother of two, she used to be in the military and had experienced a lot of abuse in her past. Trisha described the starting point of how an injury caused by her husband (now ex-husband), started a cycle of addiction to prescription medication. Trisha was prescribed pain medicine for her back injury, and because she was still experiencing abuse and dealing with trauma from her abuse, the pain medication was a method for her to cope with everything. This addiction to pain medication and a lack of a stable living environment started to impact her life more and more. For years she experienced homelessness, during this time, Trisha was hospitalized quite frequently and the relationship with her family became very strained, eventually leading to no contact at all. 

FOBH provided her with housing and the support needed to help her reconnect with her family, and she was eventually able to reunite with her children. With everything Trisha had been through, the peace of mind and safety afforded by the housing and other support services gave her the stable environment she needed to recover from addiction and deal with the trauma she had experienced. The difference in Trisha's mindset today vs before the influence that the FOBH had, demonstrates the life-changing impact that Housing First programs can have on individuals.

 

“Once in safe, dignified housing, she was able to regain her sobriety, reunite with her children, and finally live the peaceful, healthy, hopeful life we all want to live” (Friends of Boston’s Homeless, 2023). 

 

 

To read more amazing stories like Trisha's and to get involved with FOBH, click this link:

https://fobh.org/who-we-are/success-stories/