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.
Cassie* and John*
Cassie* and John* came to Pillars through the Diversion and Prevention Program. Their journey to housing found them spending thousands of dollars trying to keep a roof over their heads while also being targeted by scammers who preyed on their desperation to find a place to call home. With Pillars, the couple found their happy ending. Cassie: “I have felonies on my record, and I have way older evictions. He had one that was from 2019, but if I remember correctly, we didn’t owe any money on any of them. We spent two years living at a local hotel and trying to find an apartment. We got turned down so much. I was, I have to say, even though I knew what I was going to be dealing with, I felt like I knew it was going to be a struggle, I was still surprised at how much of a struggle it was. We figured it out, and at the hotel, we spent $40,000 to live there for two years. That in my head, I was like that’s a good chunk of a house. I thought there would be somebody who would give us a chance, and finally there was.” John: “There was this one place where the woman said, ‘Send us the money, and we’ll send you the key.’ Made the house sound good.” Cassie: “There was another one who wanted the money and would FedEx me the key. I asked him for an address so I could drive by the house at least, and they wouldn’t give me an address.” (Photo Credit: Adam Hilbelink, November 2, 2022) Cassie and John are preparing to spend their first Christmas in their new apartment that they secured with the help of their Pillars case manager, Sarah. *The names of the clients in this post have been changed to protect their privacy.
