​I’ve been in wrong situations, where step after step something’s blocking me. Here at Outside In, I’ve had the right resources where I’m able to figure it out for the first time. And now life is flowing. It feels like I have a spark, something to look forward to that’s new to me. I’m more stable because I have the safety of a home. Not long ago, things were different.

I’m 23, I’m from Chicago, and I’ve worked with trade schools and held food service jobs since high school. I never thought I’d be homeless. Until you’ve been through it yourself, you don’t really know. People say, “Why don’t you get a job?” I’ve been working this whole time.

Outside In offered different options. I got health insurance and I got into the transitional housing program. It’s an adjustment because I’ve never had my own space. It was scary at first. It didn’t feel real. But I got all my help in one building. My therapist is in the basement and the medical clinic is on the first floor. If health problems come up, my providers are right there. It makes me feel supported.

Beyond just my physical and mental health, I’m working on my goals. At the Employment and Education Resource Center, I enrolled in internships and job readiness training. Staff helped me with completing financial aid forms, securing books and supplies, and registering for physiology classes at Portland Community College. I’m just figuring it out, but I’m excited.

No two stories are the same. But resources help people. With the right support, there are people who will begin to get where they need to go. Outside In has been that resource for me.

Please give to Outside In today. You can change lives like mine. Thank you!

Gratefully,
Charlize

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