Welcome to the “People of Pillars: A Portrait Gallery.” Every weekday in December, we will be sharing a portrait of an individual or individuals receiving services from Pillars as clients, tenants, or program participants. This gallery is an opportunity for the community to learn more about what the reality of homelessness is in the Fox Valley from those with lived experience.
It is important to note that all of the individuals featured in this gallery participated voluntarily and are willingly sharing their stories with you; however, their names have been changed to protect their privacy. Any statements, views, and opinions shared by these individuals are their own and are not endorsed by Pillars in any way. Conversations with these individuals were captured on Tuesday, November 2, 2022. Additional follow-up information about their journey to housing may be added separately as needed to bring their story up-to-date.
Kathy*: Part II
Yesterday, we introduced you to Kathy*, a client at Pillars Adult Shelter and Pillars Resource Center. Here is the second part of her story. “Saturday, I went over to the library all day and hung out with one of the girls that I knew from the other shelter before, and Sunday, we walked over to McDonald’s. I’m like, ‘I’m going to fill out an application just for the heck of it.’ So, I did, and when I filled it out, I asked, ‘Hey, is there someone I could talk to?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, sure.’ So, I sat down, and I waited. I talked to a manager, and she hired me right on the spot. I’m working all week. I started yesterday, and I work the rest of the week. I love it. I grab the cash before people get their order. It’s kind of cool, because you’ve got a screen and you can see what cars come through and everything, and you know how much they owe. I’m on Social Security, so I’m in the bracket where I hit 62 +. That means I can work as many hours as I want. I’m going to work 38-40 hours, put that Social Security check in the bank, try to put half of each check in the bank so that I can get an apartment and get a car.” (Photo Credit: Adam Hilbelink, November 2, 2022) *The name of the client in this post has been changed to protect her privacy.
