Anthony Alexander finds housing through Mount Carmel Social Care

During my time in my role, visiting the Discovery District, I met Anthony. The first thing I noticed is that no matter the time or day, he never stopped smiling and laughing. This was hard for me to understand. How could someone wake up at 6:00 a.m. on church steps to an ambassador asking them to move along maintain such a positive attitude? I was intrigued by his happy demeanor and wanted to understand what led him to these circumstances.

I began chatting with him almost daily. During our conversations on a bench outside of the library, I quickly learned that despite coming from a broken home, being abused as a child and being in and out of various group homes, his faith and spirit were unbreakable. When asked how he could maintain an upbeat attitude throughout his many hardships, he repeatedly referenced his belief in a higher power.

After a year or so of being on the land, Anthony was able to get a Section 8 housing voucher, which led to him being housed. During his time housed he also began a job at Donato’s and he eventually got married! Anthony would stop by the office just to say hello and tell us how well things were going for him!

Unfortunately, in 2021 after living in his home with his wife for two years, they were forced to leave because the house had been sold. This not only led them back into homelessness, but also was the primary reason for their eventual divorce. Following his divorce, He also began to have many health concerns and nearly lost his foot due to diabetic complications. This put more pressure on Anthony to find stable housing fast. The sense of urgency was noticeable, but the smile and positive attitude never swayed

During this vulnerable time, our team was able to assist Anthony in many ways, including transportation to doctor appointments and obtaining his birth certificate, ID, and social security card. Once all documents were collected, a Supportive Housing application was submitted to the Community Shelter Board. After a long wait of nearly 10 months, Anthony finally received his referral to a CHN unit at a location. I am delighted to say that Anthony moved into his new apartment on July 5, 2024! Since his move-in, Anthony reports that his health is Improving and that he feels a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders!

I believe that many of us on the Mount Carmel Social Care team often question the effectiveness of our efforts and whether they are truly enough to make a significant difference. This is common in such challenging and complex fields and working alongside the most vulnerable members of our community. However, assisting Anthony and others in similar situations has helped me realize that in our line of work, where progress can sometimes feel slow or incremental, it's important to celebrate these moments of affirmation. I hope Anthony’s story of eventual success will serve as a reminder that the work we are doing matters and is making a meaningful impact, even if the challenges persist.

Much like Anthony, we should all work on smiling a bit more!

Submitted by Ryan Jefferson, Lead Housing Specialist-Mount Carmel Social Care