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.
Pillars SRO Program
The Pillars Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Program brought Stacy*, Mark*, and Steve* together. While they each have their own journey and experiences with homelessness, they have developed close bonds living in the same home and are all working on improving their situations. On November 2, 2022, they enjoyed an unseasonably warm day together on their front porch talking about many topics, including what keeps them going. Stacy*: “I think you’ve got to have faith. It isn’t easy. My dad was in the military, so we had it pretty good. Never was homeless, never without food or clothes. It was a big tragedy for me. I had to sit down and have a conversation with Jesus and God and get it all out and get it over with so I could move on. Otherwise, I would’ve sat in a shelter and been depressed my whole life, and I didn’t want that.” Steve*: “You don’t give up. Everybody gets a raw deal every now and then, but that doesn’t mean you should cash in all of your chips. You have a place like Pillars that is willing to work with you and help you, you don’t feel so alone. Even though you might be homeless, you know you have somebody whose working with you or working for you to give you a little bit more insight so you don’t give up. I guess it’s a little bit of faith and a little bit of not giving up.” Mark*: “I think being homeless was an experience not growing up that way. Having had a house, having had good jobs, it’s one step at a time looking for a light at the end of the tunnel just knowing it’s possible, because I’ve been there. I can do it again.” (Photo Credit: Adam Hilbelink, November 2, 2022) *The names of the clients in this post have been changed to protect their privacy.
