INSPIRING STORIES
The experience of homelessness is complex and often misunderstood. Each individual has a unique story.
Bill’s Story
Bill spent the greater part of his adult life calling an emergency shelter bed his home.
Bill spent the greater part of his adult life calling an emergency shelter bed his home. He spent his days surrounded by other individuals with their own struggles and did not have a connection to his community outside of the four walls of the emergency shelter. He became attuned to spending 12+ hours in an emergency department waiting room, as he often experienced seizures. Bill did not have friends, family, or other supports in his life to assist him with navigating the complex and overrun healthcare system in London, and as a result, his physical and mental health were deteriorating quickly. Each time Bill experienced a seizure, they became worse, causing him to “lose time.” Bill is a kind, gentle, and soft-spoken individual, who was often overlooked by the system. People often took advantage of Bill’s kind nature, leaving Bill to be exploited both emotionally and financially.
Within 30 days of London Cares supporting Bill, he had signed a lease and found a new place to call home. Due to past trauma, Bill had a difficult time remembering where he lived. He would often be located by our housing-focused street outreach team wandering the streets of neighbourhoods outside of his own or attempting to sign into emergency shelter for a bed, as this was a routine he was so strongly rooted in for decades.
Through the work of the Housing Stability Program, Bill was able to be connected to a general practitioner who now oversees his health care. During Bill’s time in the housing stability program he has developed a new routine, which involves taking medications daily to decrease the amount of seizures Bill experiences.
Since we first began supporting Bill, his love for animals was clear – he was always stopping to say hello to four legged friends in the community. Recently, Bill adopted a four legged friend of his own – a cat named Sasha who was also looking for a furever home. Instantly, the two connected. From the moment Bill walked into the animal shelter, it was obvious he had found a new lifelong friend.
Today, you can find Bill taking leisurely walks in his own neighbourhood, often followed closely by Sasha who never leaves his side. On nice mornings, you will find him listening to his radio on his front porch and sipping on a warm cup of tea.
Rachel’s Story
Rachel would describe herself as “hardheaded, stubborn, and a loose cannon.”
Rachel would describe herself as “hardheaded, stubborn, and a loose cannon.” She spent most of her days in the downtown core of London looking for her “next hit,” as the threat of opiate withdrawal was always lingering over her head. Through the London Cares Housing Stability Program, Rachel has been supported through two tenancies, and she has battled and faced her addiction head on. She began abstaining from substance use and has become heavily involved in her local community church where she feels that she has the ability to give back to a community she was once ostracized from and has found peace and recovery through her faith.
In recent conversation with Rachel, reflecting on her involvement in the London Cares Housing Stability Program, Rachel became teary eyed looking back at the person she once was and the individual she has become today. Rachel recently graduated from the Housing Stability Program – a moment she never thought would be possible for her. When asked about her initial feelings to this idea, her response was, “Fear, reality, and a little bit proud.” Through the support of this program, Rachel has gone from heavily using substances, living on the streets, and not knowing where the next hour would take her, to becoming a responsible tenant who offers her housing stability worker a cup of coffee from a freshly made pot upon arrival. She spends her weekends at the local driving range practicing her backswing and exploring new bike trails with her mother.
Mark’s Story
For Mark, his definition of “stability” meant having access to three meals a day and knowing where he would be able to sleep at night.
Unfortunately for him, this experience was usually synonymous with being incarcerated, as Mark has experienced chronic and persistent homelessness for over 10 years. Each time Mark was released from custody, he was released to the street with no fixed address. Attempts to get into emergency shelter were rarely successful, as Mark was often labelled as someone who was “defiant” and “noncompliant,” which resulted in property bans and restriction from services, sometimes for up to 10 years at a time. Mark would often attend emergency rooms at hospitals for a place to keep warm for a few hours, but would quickly be escorted off the premises, as he “was not allowed to be there.” Mark would spend countless nights wandering the streets trying to find a safe place to be, which often resulted in a substantial increase in his substance use in order to stay awake to avoid harassment, violence, and his belongings being stolen.
This “survival mode” behaviour can create a vicious cycle, as increased substance use can lead to erratic or unpredictable behaviour, which in turn causes emergency shelters to place bans and trespass orders for being “noncompliant” for said behaviour. Mark’s substance use also had significant impacts on pre-existing mental health conditions, which resulted in frequent interactions with emergency services. Without anywhere for Mark to go, he was unable to meet his basic needs, and police would often be called on Mark for public disturbances, attempting to access services and supports where he has active restrictions, and being in public spaces while under the influence. Unable to access community-based health care, Mark would attend hospital emergency departments for support. However, he would frequently be denied medical care and would often be escorted off the property by security and/or police, despite presenting with legitimate medical needs.
Recently, Mark was released into homelessness after spending five months incarcerated. Mark paid to stay for a few nights at a motel, but on a fixed income of approximately $1,200 a month, this was not sustainable. After three days, he had run out of money. He spent the next week on the streets in the middle of winter with very brief periods of being able to access indoor space. As a result, both of Mark’s hands were black, swollen, and bleeding, which was indicative of severe frostbite. He attended a hospital emergency room for medical assistance, but was instead referred for psychiatric support, as he was displaying behaviours of psychosis. Mark’s frostbite was not treated, nor was he admitted for any medical care. Outreach workers transported him to two other hospitals to advocate for medical care, but he was denied pain management, and his wounds were not tended to, despite having two advocates with him. Mark was advised to set up home-based nursing care, despite Mark and his two advocates clearly stating Mark did not have a home or an address from which he could access this service.
London Cares advocated tirelessly to the hospital system for Mark to be assessed and admitted for severe frostbite, but the hospital system would not admit him. Mark ended up accessing a community-based clinic daily for wound care and to have his bandages changed to lessen the possibility of infection and sepsis. After spending a full week on the street with severe frostbite and unable to access hospital support, London Cares supported Mark into a motel room and collaborated with the community-based clinic to have nursing care attend his motel room. This was also the very first time Mark was provided with any type of pain management for his severe, untreated frostbite.
Over a few months, Mark came to trust and respect the staff supporting him. He began to build rapport with several nurses that became assets in his care plan, and he formed positive working relationships with them. It took approximately two months of consistent daily support from London Cares, during which time he was supported to attend medical appointments and provided basic needs such as food that he could eat easily with two fully bandaged hands, for Mark to feel safe and cared for as he developed trust with these new agencies. Both London Cares and the community-based clinic significantly stretched their services in order to support Mark.
Unfortunately, the lasting impacts of the trauma Mark faced through the hospital system continued to impact his ability to follow his treatment plan. Mark’s follow-up care also included attending appointments with a plastic surgeon at the very hospital that denied him care for his frostbite. When Mark had to attend these appointments, he experienced severe anxiety and did not want to go. Despite both London Cares and clinic staff supporting Mark, several appointments with the plastic surgeon were missed, as Mark felt such a true sense of distrust with that specific hospital that he could hardly bring himself to attend. There were periods of time throughout his journey where Mark and his supports had significant concerns that all 10 of his fingers would not be salvageable due to the level of damage from the frostbite. Through persistent and fierce advocacy, Mark’s hands have been able to heal, and he has regained full function.
Mark remained transitionally housed in a motel room with the support of London Cares until he moved into his own apartment. Having a consistent, safe place to live has given Mark a retreat from street life, a predictable routine, and has allowed him to receive reliable healthcare supports. The working relationships that Mark has fostered have contributed to the positive change in his overall self-image. The connections that Mark has made with staff from London Cares and the community-based clinic have greatly impacted his view of self and his relationship with the community around him.
Mark has been given the opportunity to feel valued and appreciated and has been endlessly grateful for the compassion and love that staff have shown him. Though his journey isn’t over yet, he has come very far from where he began.
“Nobody has loved me as much as you guys have. You saved my life…” – Mark
Trevor’s Story
“Trevor” moved to Canada from out of the country. He had it all – a great job, a beautiful home, and family supports.
Trevor lost it all when he was arrested for driving under the influence. He lost his job, and in turn, he lost his house. He stated he began to drink more and more because he felt worthless and his family shunned him and left him with no supports at all. Trever tried the emergency shelters. He stated he was getting robbed all the time and beaten up, so he started staying under bridges and sleeping on park benches alone. Feeling lost and vulnerable, he would drink all night to try to stay awake so he would not get robbed in his sleep. This went on for over a year.
London Cares staff met Trevor outside of an emergency shelter where he was sleeping on the ground out in the open with one blanket. He introduced himself to staff as Trevor, and they chatted about housing options, the emergency shelters, and what brought him to London. He was reluctant to answer too many questions. He stated there really is no help for someone like him, that he did not belong there or anywhere, but that he would keep in contact with staff. London Cares staff agreed to meet him in the afternoon that day. However, when staff returned, he was not there, and no one knew who Trevor was. London Cares continued to look for Trevor while conducting street outreach in the community.
After a few weeks went by, Trevor walked up to London Cares staff conducting street outreach. He was in rough shape – he had been beaten up, had a large bump on his forehead and black eyes, he was in tears, and he was intoxicated. He stated he hadn’t eaten in days because he kept throwing up and did not know how to get help. Staff sat with him for a while and convinced him to get medical attention for his head.
Trevor then disappeared again for weeks. A couple more weeks passed before Trevor came back to London Cares. He let us know that Trevor wasn’t his real name, but he had to be sure he could trust the staff. At that time, London Cares got the housing process started with Trevor. Again, he disappeared for a week. Trevor then came back to London Cares wanting supports. He was in a little better shape – he had gotten his injuries looked at and wanted to start the housing process. He explained he was sleeping under a bridge and felt too ashamed to come back to London Cares because of how he thought he appeared last time.
Trevor missed three appointments to view apartments, but the team and Trevor did not give up. Within a month, he had moved into his new home. He now lives in an affordable housing unit. He has a housing stability worker to help with goal setting, he is doing well, and began volunteering. Trevor started a community garden where he could grow fresh vegetables and herbs to eat and cook with. He is very proud of his home and is slowly learning what community can do for a person. He is building his life back up day by day and stated he finally feels he belongs.
Brian’s Story
London Cares’ street outreach team used to encounter Brian nearly every shift, if not multiple times a shift.
Brian had a go-to spot in the community, and many business owners and community members in the area became familiar with Brian, as he always had a smile on his face and an interesting story to tell. Brian was in a wheelchair and would often find a shaded area in a parking lot to sleep. Brian did not have shelter at night, and he required access to an electrical outlet to charge his wheelchair battery. Brian’s wheelchair battery would often die, leaving him stranded. Staff would always make an effort to find Brian and get him a new battery or help him access a public location to use an outlet to charge his battery. Brian spent the summer months sleeping in various parking lots, as he was not a fan of emergency shelters and stated that they would be difficult to navigate in his wheelchair. Staff began to notice a significant decline in Brian’s health, as he became dehydrated and stopped eating.
Brian would have accidents in his wheelchair, and staff would provide him with clothing and encourage him to seek medical attention. One night, Brian was taken to the hospital by EMS. Brian had an ulcer that had ruptured, causing him to be very ill and fall out of his wheelchair. Brian had emergency surgery on his stomach and spent the next couple of weeks recovering in the hospital. Staff would stop by to advocate and brainstorm with hospital staff each shift. London Cares’ street outreach team worked closely with the social work team at the hospital. Brian was able to get an assessment done to determine his eligibility for long-term care residence, as his recovery and rehabilitation would be lengthy, and his care team could not risk him going back to the streets. Brian was accepted to a long-term care facility outside of London. Although this was not an ideal location for Brian, he knew this would be the best for his health and wellness.
In the end, Brian left the long-term health care facility and found himself back in London. The street outreach team rapidly re-engaged Brian and connected him with the appropriate supports. He is now back in London and is happy to be back to his “home.” Brian still calls the street outreach team to speak about the support he received and how happy he is to have found stability.
Andrew’s Story
London Cares’ street outreach team first encountered Andrew a few years ago when he was living on the streets of London.
Andrew would often check-in with London Cares staff to see how the evening was going or just say a friendly, “Hello.” Andrew developed a strong relationship with staff conducting street outreach throughout the years.
Andrew got hit by a car one evening by an impaired driver and suffered some serious injuries. From then, Andrew was constantly in and out of the hospital. Once he was discharged from hospital back to the street, he would encounter one health complication after another. London Cares staff would often get calls from Andrew in the community, where he would be unable to walk or move independently.
Andrew was diagnosed with HIV over the winter months and required intensive supports through this time. Andrew became isolated from community services and expressed feeling very hopeless about that fact that his health was declining and that he had no place to call home. London Cares and other community agencies came together to support Andrew during this time in his life. Together, we worked to advocate for Andrew, and a referral was made to a program offering short-term housing, transitional care, or palliative care services for those living with HIV.
London Cares staff received the news that Andrew had been accepted into the program, where he would receive his own apartment and have access to a clean, welcoming space with nutritious meals, opportunities for recreational activities, and immediate access to health care. Andrew is doing very well now and has started a new job.
Sarah’s Story
The London Cares Coordinated Informed Response street outreach team met Sarah, who identifies as being part of the LGBTQIA2S community.
Sarah had been living on the streets, sleeping rough and urban camping, for over five years. As the team got to know her and she began to trust outreach staff, Sarah shared stories about her life, which were heavily riddled with experiences of trauma and abuse. This young woman was living alone in a tent and was frequently in conflict with the law. She would set up and tear down her home daily, often losing important items that she kept on her person. The street outreach team would offer support to Sarah daily, whether it be medical, legal, housing, or basic needs supports. She would often decline, stating that she would lose all her belongings if she left to access supports.
Sarah, while still a young woman, had been through more trauma than most can imagine. She did not trust easily and did not feel London Cares would be able to help her. We would show up every day and talk to Sarah about housing and resources around the city. She refused to stay in emergency shelter because of how vulnerable she felt when near other people. Sarah told us she had been beaten up and abused in her previous emergency shelter experiences and would not return.
London Cares was able to support Sarah in obtaining her own apartment in the private market, where she was then connected with an intensive case manager from the London Cares Housing Stability Program. When she first moved into her unit, Sarah told staff that she was sleeping on the floor because she was not used to being in a bed. Through her tenancy, she has taken a lot of small steps to achieve big goals. Sarah now sleeps in her own bed, cleans her unit independently, and has opened up to working with new service providers.
Names have been changed, portrait images have been generated with AI, and personal details omitted to protect the privacy of individuals who chose to share their story. We hope that these stories shine a light on the tenacity, courage, and strength we are privileged to see every day.