December 2nd, 2019
Having a great, well-paying job as a paralegal in Southern California, Greg never expected that he would become homeless. After unexpectedly being laid off, Greg struggled finding another job which slowly spiraled into losing his car and home. Greg came to Arkansas to live with his daughter and son-in-law stationed in Jacksonville, but when they received orders to transfer to Colorado, Greg was without a place to call home. When Greg came to Our House, he described it as a bit of a culture shock. For someone used to being completely independent, the lack of control was a bit of a struggle. In his year since checking into the Shelter, Greg has become more comfortable and settled into a routine. He worked diligently to find a job and ended up completing a six-month job training program on campus and is now in a nine-month training program at our Resale Stores. Because of his research background, Greg is able to assist with the store’s online operations researching high value items and feels like he is an integral part of store operations. Because of the Shelter savings program, Greg is confident that when he exits the program he will be able to secure good housing. “Our House was there when I needed it,” Greg says. “Life just happened to me, but they put food in my mouth and a stable place to stay when I was at my bottom. Being here has made me more compassionate towards how I view other people whose story I don’t know.”