How The NYC Rescue Mission’s Program Helped Him Break Homeless Cycle
Ulysse's Story: Escaping the Homeless Cycle Growing up, I bounced between my father in Queens, NY and my mother in Newark, NJ. My mother was abusive and my father was a functional alcoholic. In general, I felt rejected. After junior high, my dad sent me to California for a fresh start. I did okay until 11th grade when I got into crack cocaine and dropped out of school. I moved back to NY/NJ and lived with my parents during my mid-20s. I went through cycles of working and using drugs. I finally got kicked out of the house around age 30. I burned every bridge until I was alone on the street. People told me about different city shelters, which I’ve bounced around between for the past decade. I’ve had spurts of living in my own place, but then I would start getting high. It’s tough to get and keep a job when you’re homeless. You have nowhere to shower, change clothes, or store belongings. It’s especially difficult to find a job that pays more than minimum wage. I worked h...