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 I
This is Kathy*. As of November 2, she was staying at Pillars Adult Shelter and visiting Pillars Resource Center during the daytime hours. “I was on the streets for over a week, because some girl that I was staying with in a hotel, she kicked me out at three o’clock in the morning. What I did was somebody told me about the Resource Center. So, I came here, and I met up with Quincey. Quincey got me going. She got me all signed up and everything. I went [to Pillars Adult Shelter] that night to check in, got a bag lunch, got a blanket, and I was walking to catch the bus. I missed that bus, so I started walking over by Big Lots. I got to Big Lots, and all of the sudden, I just doubled over. I got into Big Lots, and I’m like, ‘Can somebody call an ambulance?’ And they’re like, ‘What?’ And I’m like, ‘Can somebody please call an ambulance?’ They did, and by the time the ambulance actually got there, I passed out. I didn’t know anything happened. I woke up in the hospital with IVs, and I’m like, ‘Woah, what happened to me?’ They said my blood pressure dropped down into the 60s, and they had given me three bags of fluids plus potassium. They released me at three o’clock in the morning but told me to wait in the waiting room until six thirty until I could catch a bus, so I wasn’t out in the elements. I came back to [the Resource Center] on Friday and hung out all day, went back over to Pillars Adult Shelter Friday night, and they had a bed for me. It was so great.” (Photo Credit: Adam Hilbelink, November 2, 2022) The story doesn’t end there. Come back tomorrow to learn more about what happened next for Kathy! *The name of the client in this post has been changed to protect her privacy.
