Homeless Veterans Integration Program makes all the difference

January 8, 2018

Military service led to a downward spiral for Bill. Born and raised in St. Louis, he served in the Air Force and lived in Oklahoma City for two decades. Upon his return to his hometown, Bill fell onto some hard times, suffering from alcoholism and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and bouncing from place to place. “I was living out of a pickup truck and with family members. I felt like I was unwelcome and imposing on everyone.”

A local recovery facility referred Bill to St. Patrick Center, where he learned about our Homeless Veterans Integration Program. Case managers assigned Bill to an apartment at Freedom Place, a local housing complex for veterans who were formerly homeless. “When they got me setup in Freedom Place, they got me out of my truck and out of people’s houses and got me a place of my own.”

Bill’s life changed for the better. “I would not be where I am today without St. Patrick Center.” He joined our City Seeds Urban Farm program and went through rehab, achieving 18 months sober. He got a full-time job at the VA Hospital. “Now I’m welcome at all of the places I once was not.”

Listen to Bill tell his story.