Charles still remembers what he wanted most when stability felt out of reach.
“All I wanted was one good chance,” he said. “If I get that chance, I’ll do whatever I need to put a roof over my head.”
Charles was 18 the first time he experienced homelessness. He was still in high school when he began sleeping in a friend’s pool house. For years, Charles worked to keep a roof over his head, but stability always felt fragile.
“I’d make just enough to stay housed, then something would go wrong and I’d be without a place again,” Charles said.
In 2019, Charles reached out for help and connected with Union Station Homeless Services. During COVID, USHS helped him access a motel voucher and later helped him secure a studio apartment of his own in Pasadena.
Before finding consistent support through USHS, Charles had been passed between several care providers. Over time, he learned not to expect the same person to keep showing up.
When USHS care coordinator Mark began bringing Emergency Food Boxes to Charles' door, the visits were simple at first. Charles would ask him to leave the box outside. Over time, those deliveries became the beginning of a relationship built on trust.
“For the first time in my life, I had support,” Charles said. “I didn’t feel like I was going through things alone.”
Through ongoing care coordination, USHS helped Charles remained housed. Although his home is not a USHS residence, he continues to receive support from Union Station, connecting him to resources that help him remain stable and move forward.
That support also helped Charles connect with better healthcare. After struggling with serious heart issues and traveling hours by bus to see his previous doctor, Charles was connected to care closer to home, with providers and support in one place.
Today, Charles is building a life that reflects more than survival. He pays his bills on time, welcomes friends in his home on weekends,
and has begun discovering new talents. Through a senior center, he started painting and was recently asked to teach painting classes.
“For the first time I have peace of mind,” Charles said. “I have freedom.”
What began with one good chance has become something more: stability, support, and the freedom to imagine what comes next.