The Downtown Homeless Services Team first met Timothy, 62, several months ago. At the time, the native Washingtonian was panhandling near Ford’s Theatre (511 10th Street).
The team, comprised of on-the-street professionals overseen by Pathways to Housing DC and the DowntownDC BID, learned that Timothy became homeless more than a year earlier, when his former landlord defaulted on a home loan, leading to foreclosure. With no family or friends to turn to and with a lack of understanding about, and confidence in, DC’s social services system, Timothy had nowhere to go. He turned to the streets. Because of his age, Timothy also felt safer outdoors, believing he would be easily victimized in a shelter.
After a year of harsh outdoor living, Timothy became increasingly apprehensive about trusting others and discouraged about his prospects for getting off the streets. Sacsheen, an outreach team worker, approached Timothy several times before the older man finally agreed to visit the team’s satellite office, located in the First Congregational United Church of Christ (945 G Street). Timothy welcomed the opportunity to use the church’s private shower and have a safe place, away from the streets, to meet Sacsheen.
After several meetings, and with Sacsheen’s encouragement, Timothy decided to forsake life on the streets, find a job and get a roof over his head. Sacsheen accompanied him to get a birth certificate and new ID, apply for food stamps and reapply for health insurance. With these documents in hand, Timothy was finally ready to begin his housing and employment searches.
Like many homeless individuals, Timothy lives on a very meager, fixed monthly income. He does not qualify for mental health services nor does he need skilled nursing care. Thus, he was left to find an inexpensive apartment or room for rent that fit his budget.
Sacsheen and the team began an intensive and extremely challenging search for affordable units. After contacting several potential landlords and viewing available units, Timothy finally found one that met his budget, and other criteria. In fact, he loved the apartment so much he made a deposit that same day! More good news came a few days later. Sacsheen arranged for Timothy to meet an employment case manager at the District Department of Employment Services. The manager believed he had the perfect job for Timothy.
We’re proud to announce that Timothy moved into his new apartment last week. He is well on his way to reestablishing his career and is grateful for Sacsheen and the Downtown Homeless Services Team’s support and guidance throughout the process. He’s thrilled to have a place where he can “rest his head at night” and believes, as he put it, that “I’m moving in a positive new direction, and I am excited about my new opportunities.”