Orson’s Journey Home

Orson (68) and his brother (80) now live permanently in an apartment where they are safe. Unlike the many homeless shelters and hotels that they’ve transitioned through over the past several years, this apartment is quiet, private, and “the toilets work better than anyplace we’ve been!” Orson exclaims.

For 45 years, Orson had lived with his brother, mother, and sister. But during an economic recession, his mother and sister died. Orson and his brother couldn’t afford the apartment and became homeless. It was a scary time, Orson admits. During this period, Orson also had ongoing medical needs, which made housing instability even more stressful. There was such uncertainty about how or where they would survive. They ended up at a shelter, but shelters only allow short-term stays. So they timed out of there and were homeless again.

That’s about when they met Hearts for Homeless (H4H) founder Jack Fuller. H4H helped set them up in hotels. However, like the shelter, the hotels enforced time limitations. Every 21 days, they had to pack all their belongings and move across the street to another hotel for a night, before being able to move back the next day. During that time, H4H assisted them with the moves as much as possible.

Caring to help, H4H advocated for the brothers, bringing the social worker, the dialysis clinic, and the shelter into a collaborative team. The shelter then allowed the brothers to return. Meanwhile, H4H worked through other avenues to get them permanent housing.

This kind of support reflects the heart of Hearts for Homeless’ programs, including one-on-one advocacy, digital access, and emotional and social well-being support. Across these programs, H4H walks alongside people as they navigate difficult systems, helps them stay connected to resources and community, and reminds them that they do not have to move through the journey alone.

In the summer of 2022, Orson and his brother moved into a permanent senior apartment, surrounded by all the organizations in their support team who celebrated the lease signing.

Since then, H4H has gotten them furniture and supplies so they could settle in comfortably. Their new place is nothing like the shelter that was loud, busy, and often rowdy. Now, the brothers find themselves at peace in their new home.

Orson’s positive disposition is one factor that has helped him through his challenges, but mostly, he says, it's knowing that someone cares and will help. It gave him hope so he never gave in to despair. That’s why he’s so appreciative of the Hearts for Homeless program.

He says the Hearts for Homeless programs bring out the human being in you. He attends Connect With Your Soul (CWYS), H4H’s emotional and social well-being program, and finds that the sessions help participants form friendships and community bonds that help them feel less alone. And, he says, as we hear and understand each other’s stories, we become more compassionate and empathic toward each other.

“Hearts for Homeless helps us see each other’s human side. That’s a good thing,” he says. “A good thing.”