A client of ours had been unemployed for over four months after being laid off from an auto parts store due to substance use. He was staying outdoors when I met him at Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department in early June 2023. His eyes were yellow, leading me to suspect that he might be experiencing jaundice.
The next time I encountered this client was at the Caritas drop-in center in October 2023. I was relieved to see that his eyes were no longer yellow. I suggested he get on the waitlist for Sam Jones Hall, but he assured me that he had already signed up at the front desk. I also recommended he visit the Redwood Gospel Mission around 10:30 a.m. to see if he could secure a bunk for 30 days while waiting for his opportunity to enter Sam Jones Hall.
During this meeting, his primary focus was enrolling in CalFresh benefits and General Assistance. About two months later, we met again while I was doing outreach at Sam Jones Hall—he had successfully been admitted. He expressed frustration about the delay in his appointment at the county office for food stamps, and I explained that the delay was due to a staffing shortage.
I informed him that I would be covering for a colleague at the county building in two days and suggested he come by then to see if we could get updates on his application. True to plan, I saw him in the lobby two days later, and he told me he was waiting for his number to be called, hopeful for progress on his application.
Nearly a year later, in August 2024, I was picking up lunch at Whole Foods when I unexpectedly ran into this same client. I was wearing my face mask and Catholic Charities hoodie, which he immediately recognized. He approached me to thank me for all my help. Surprised and delighted by this chance meeting, I listened as he shared how his life had completely turned around. He now has his own apartment and is working in the deli at the store.
He looked clear-eyed and joyful, and this brief encounter made my day. I told him how proud and happy I was with his success. Moments like these remind me that with a little assistance, people’s lives can be positively transformed.
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