From Shelter to Stability
More Than a Place to Rest Your Head
When he arrived at CARITAS Shelter in 2007, M.T. was a broken man. M.T. had never experienced the stability, security, or support of a traditional family or any family at all. By the age of 16, M. T. had seen numerous foster homes which kept him separate from his only known relative, his brother. After dropping out of high school, M.T. worked a number of jobs until an ankle injury cost him his job and his home. But M.T.’s story is not just a story of the dark and often tragic gaps in our society. It is a story of resilience and perseverance.
Having seen the insides of many shelters over the past 6 years, CARITAS offered something more, the kindness of the host congregations and case management. Morris warmly credited Tara Kantner, a CARITAS case manager for 4 years, with standing along side him and beginning to work through his many obstacles to stability. Working with Tara, M.T. applied for and received permanent supportive housing, and after nearly two years in CARITAS, Morris had a place to live. The work did not end there; Tara helped Morris schedule a shopping day at the CARITAS Furniture Bank to offset the enormous costs of moving from a shelter into permanent housing.
Unlike most of our clients, M.T.’s new housing came furnished, but the referral to the Furniture Bank allowed him to choose with dignity the many items he still needed. Though he was eligible to get far more than he took, Morris picked out dishes, pots and pans, a coffee table, two chairs, a lamp, sheets, towels, a small television and a rug. These humble furnishings turned his one bedroom apartment into a place that M.T. could finally call home.