By Megan McBride

Peter*, a former Marine, found himself homeless and feeling that a great part of his life was missing following a divorce in 2008. Despite holding down a job as a security officer, he spent his nights sleeping in his car in various Westside communities. Unfortunately, his unstable lifestyle and lack of housing made it difficult for him to be a part of his children’s lives.

That summer Peter came to PATH and, after being in the program for less than one month, he qualified as a candidate with the Veterans Affairs program. He was referred to the Veterans Affairs Subsidized Housing program and granted expedited access to a Section 8 voucher. Despite the stress he was under from the divorce and the estranged relationship with his eldest son, Peter was diligent about saving money and pursued extra work in addition to his full-time job to help bolster his savings. Once he received his Section 8 voucher, he worked diligently to find permanent housing and was fortunate to find a one-bedroom apartment near his job.

Because of Peter’s former career as a Marine, he takes pride in being held accountable. In September 2009, he was elated that he remained focused on accessing permanent housing and had plans to gradually reintegrate himself into his children’s lives. When Peter finished at PATH, he thanked PATH for their services and has promised to stay connected to the program.

*Name has been changed to protect privacy.

The photo above is not the person described in this story, as he has requested to remain anonymous.
Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/asuarch/3305109336/