“Michael” moved into his new home at St. Francis Friends of the Poor in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like so many of St. Francis' tenants, Michael lived a full life before being debilitated by Schizophrenia. He served in the U.S. Army during both Gulf Wars, is a published children's book author, and had a loving relationship with his son. After losing his housing and falling through the cracks of a broken VA system, Michael lived on the NYC streets for four consecutive years without spending a single night indoors. He survived by “making himself invisible.” Eventually, his physical and mental health declined so much that he was no longer able to care for himself and was committed to the hospital, where he had to relearn how to speak after going so long without interacting with others. With proper medical attention, Michael is feeling better and ready to get on with his life. And, thanks to the St. Francis Residences, he now has a permanent place to call home and access to supportive services that can help him reach his two most important goals – reuniting with his son and publishing his next book.

At the age of 33, after securing a job with the city and obtaining her own apartment, “Veronica” began experiencing symptoms of mental illness. She describes the distress she felt at the time as she struggled with trying to understand what was happening to her. These symptoms led to her eventually losing her job and her apartment. She was hospitalized several times and began a series of years cycling between street homelessness and shelter stays. When we met her after being referred from a shelter for permanent housing, her insight was remarkable. She understood that she needed ongoing treatment and medication management to maintain her stability and quickly became a valuable member of the St. Francis community. She is not ashamed to talk about her experiences struggling with mental illness and is supportive of other residents in our program. Highly motivated to reach out to others in similar circumstances, she started a women's support and empowerment group and a group for all tenants to share their experiences living with mental illness. She wants other residents to know that they are not alone. Veronica reminds us on a regular basis that her long-term stability would not be possible without the nurturing and supportive environment of the St. Francis Residences. She is giving back to others what she feels she received.

“Patrick” moved into the St. Francis Residences in May 2018. At age 59, Patrick had become homeless after his spouse began using drugs and left him for someone else. The lease was in her name, and she locked him out of the apartment. He entered a shelter where he stayed for seven months. A conscientious and responsible man, Patrick had stopped drinking 25 years earlier and began seeing a psychiatrist and therapist in 2006. When he contacted us in his search of housing, he was very stable owing to his efforts to be well. Though he had worked for many years, Patrick was eventually unable to continue doing so due to his serious mental illness. To say that Patrick is doing very well at St. Francis is an understatement. He participates in all activities, trips and events, makes art in our art program, and is attentive to all appointments with his psychiatrist and physician. He can often be seen helping new tenants get acclimated to the neighborhood and frequently escorts other tenants to medical appointments offsite. We are so grateful to have Patrick as a member of our community. Many of our tenants feel the same way about him. He is a man who understands what he needs to be well and is willing to help others achieve stability. He is kind and compassionate and a valued member of our community.

“Mark” is now 34 years old. After graduating from High School, he entered the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he studied computer science before joining the Army. He served for two years, first in Kuwait, then in Iraq, and finally back to Kuwait. But during that second deployment, he suffered a severe mental breakdown. Not every veteran makes it home in one piece. After a few hospitalizations, he felt well enough to enroll at Bronx Community College, where he took classes, hoping to become a mechanic. He also got a Class A license, so he could drive both trucks and taxis. But eventually, the 'voices' began to catch up with him. After several more hospitalizations and time on the streets, he finally found his way to the St. Francis Residences. He is exceedingly kind, with a keen sense of humor combined with a keen sense of duty from his days in the army. He hopes to do more with his life now that he has a home. Mark has the respect and affection of all the staff and tenants at the Residence.