Happy and Housed: Robert and Debra's story

Debra and Robert never thought they’d become homeless. But when a family member passed away, they were unable to keep the home they shared.

They turned to local hotel rooms first, trying to come up with other options, but their money ran out before they could secure anything.

"We were lost, totally lost,” Robert said.

That’s when the couple turned to the Torres Community Shelter. Debra remembers that first day, crying outside and feeling overwhelmed. She’d never been homeless before.

Once she walked through the shelter doors, however, what she found was a team of people dedicated to helping her keep going and working on putting her life back together, she said. 

“I didn’t want to live anymore,” she said. “They helped me through a very rough patch of my life. Every day was a step forward for me.”

Robert and Debra continued to work hard, and with the help of the staff of True North and their case manager, Louise, they moved into a home that is part of True North’s permanent supportive housing programs.

They’ve had a place to call home for two years now. They share it with others who also turned to the Torres Shelter in their time of need.

This is an important stepping stone, Robert said.

“My goal is to get her back in a house, just me and her,” he said.

Debra said True North helped her heal, and that she is thankful for the staff of the Torres Shelter every day.

“I feel like I’m a human once more. I feel relaxed and at ease, and that I'm finally somebody again,” she said. “I have my life back again. I can’t thank True North enough for that.”