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.
Megan*
Megan* has worked with Pillars on and off throughout her journey to housing. In November, she was staying at Pillars Adult Shelter with occasional visits to Pillars Resource Center during the week. "I moved to Wisconsin when I was 15 to Gillett. My mom met a guy on the internet, and they’re not together anymore. We came from Las Vegas. It was a culture shock, yeah. It was so different. It was 100% different. It was totally different. I got used to it. I had a friend in high school who lived in Appleton and she introduced me to a guy down here. […] My goal was originally to get a place before winter, because it gets really cold in the winter. I have been outside in the winter, and it really sucks. It’s really hard.” (Photo Credit: Adam Hilbelink, November 2, 2022) Megan continues to search for housing with the help of Pillars. *The name of the client featured in this post has been changed to protect her privacy.
