Cristal

Upon arriving at Osborne Place Apartments, Cristal’s primary focus was on stabilizing her mental health and adjusting to a secure home environment after a long struggle with homelessness. This transition was not easy, and it took time for her to fully embrace the reality of having a permanent home. Gradually, she began to feel more at home, thanks to the support of her case manager and the broader community at Osborne Place.

Having access to stable and supportive housing significantly impacted her ability to achieve and even surpass her goals. About seven months ago, she secured a position in case management with a non-profit that assists homeless individuals and families. Her personal experiences with mental health and homelessness have enabled her to connect deeply with the community.

Ensuring her children’s well-being in their new home is one of Christal’s highest priorities. As she settled into her new routine of work and caring for her family, she began to appreciate her achievements and the stability she had gained. Reflecting on this, she said, “I would cry a lot because I couldn’t believe that I was actually doing the things that I said one day I was gonna be able to do.”

Individual case management and programs provided by ACOF’s services team have been instrumental in her progress, offering a support system critical to her success. Cristal notes that “having supportive and permanent housing was the best thing that could have happened to me because I don’t think that I would have been able to get as far as I went today if it wasn’t for the services here.”

This story was collected in 2023.