It was October 2008 when Steubenville Herald Star writer Janice Kiaski made a plea to readers asking them to submit their personal stories as to what made them thankful in 2008 during the Thanksgiving season.
In 2008, I had a lot to be thankful for so I responded to her plea by e-mailing her the following:
Hi Janice!
I read in the Herald Star that you wanted to hear from readers about what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Here's my story briefly.
In 2005 I became homeless. I had been getting sick for many years, had difficulty working due to my disability and eventually lost my last job in 2003 because my symptoms interfered with my ability to function.
I struggled for over a year trying to fill out forms to apply for Social Security disability. I finally finished the forms in 2004.
After two denials from Social Security, I was evicted from my apartment of ten years. I was homeless for five months staying at a women's shelter in Cleveland, Ohio. Because of my disability, I was able to get assistance for a HUD funded apartment. On November 23, 2005 I received the key to my apartment. I will have to look at an old calendar but it was a day or two before Thanksgiving.
Because it was a holiday, the shelter permitted residents to sign out for the long holiday weekend without risk of losing our beds. Although I had no furniture, much less a bed to sleep on at the apartment, I decided to spend the long weekend there rather than at the shelter.
Thanksgiving Day I decided to take advantage of the free meal at The Hard Rock Cafe and stop back at the shelter to pick up some of my clothes. The weather was brutal and my legs cramped as if they were being crushed. I thought I was going to die waiting on a bus.
After the long weekend staying at my apartment sleeping on the floor, I went back to the shelter for a few nights until I got some furniture.
I was in HUD housing until I received my first lump check from Social Security in 2007.
I paid off 90% of my debt owed to creditors (the ones I could find), was approved for a mortgage and bought my first home. I moved back to Toronto in April 2008.
While in Cleveland I served on the Board of Trustees at The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (www.neoch.org) where I also volunteered and was a contributing writer and photographer for the street newspaper "The Homeless Grapevine". I also served on the Advisory Board for Care Alliance; a health clinic that serves the homeless and poor of Greater Cleveland.
I have spoken about my experience with homelessness before The Truth Commission, at Case Western Reserve University and with various members of Cleveland City Council as a guest of Brian Davis, Executive Director of NEOCH.
I have been very busy remodeling, repairing and redecorating my home since moving in. I hope to get involved in the community next year regarding homeless causes. I have a wealth of information to share due to my association with the homeless coalition.
The title of my book (when I find the time to write it) will be "From Homeless to Homeowner". Michael Heaton of "The Plain Dealer" suggested "Homeless in 25 Minutes".
I have included some links:
http://homelessgrapevine.blogspot.com/ - see one of my many photos published in "The Homeless Grapevine" that was used on the masthead. Scroll down to stories about the photography program I participated in: Plain Dealer Features Grapevine Photography Program & Grapevine Photography Program Celebrates Successful First Year
Stories I wrote:
http://www.neoch.org/grapevinearticles/72/fly_on_the_wall.htm
This was the first part of a series I wrote about conditions at Community Women's Shelter. I used the name Diana Dennis to mask my identity.
http://www.neoch.org/grapevinearticles/77/truth_commission_puts_poverty.htm
About the Truth Commission and my testimony in Cleveland.
If you are interested in my story, feel free to call me. I have also included some of the photos I took with the camera I received through the Homeless Photography program.
Several days later, Janice called me and interviewed me over the phone. Three personal stories were published in the Thanksgiving edition of The Herald Star with other personal stories appearing in the following Sunday edition.
Thankful for memories, miracles, having a home was also published in the Toronto Scene.
My intent of participating was to increase awareness about homelessness and from the positive feedback and acknowledgment I have received from friends, acquaintances and people who recognized me on the street, I accomplished my mission and made them aware that they too could become homeless at any time for any reason.
Due to the economic climate, not only worldwide but especially in their own hometown, the people here are fearful of loss of job, loss of family, loss of health with the additional financial burden of the associated medical expenses and potential loss of home. All three stories in Janice Kiaski's story bring those fears to light; that there are people in this community that they might know who experienced some sort of loss but have come through it with the help of friends, family or a non-profit social agency.
The population in the Ohio Valley has declined dramatically due to job loss in the steel industry. Other manufacturing facilities closed their doors for good in the late 1970s and my hometown with its much smaller population of close to 5200 has 158 families receiving groceries
from the food bank in town.
But one thing this community does understand is volunteering and donating to the local charities that serve the people here. The residents here understand the possibility that they too may need help.
United Way surpassed their annual goal as well did the Toronto chapter of The Salvation Army. The people here come to the aid of anyone who needs help. They, as Congressman Charlie Wilson has said on numerous occasions "Get It!"
People often ask me about being homeless and how can they help others. My response as always is "support your community; the local small business owner and the charities that help your community". Friends want to help me put together personal care packets.
And, although she didn't publish everything that I sent in the e-mail sent her, Janice Kiaski told me I made her more aware too.
