Meet Carlos.
You changed his life.
Carlos is over 60 years old, and he’s spent a lifetime doing hard work in construction and landscaping for very little money. Now he’s facing serious health challenges that have drained what savings he had, and left him without a home.
“I’ve had five serious surgeries in the past year. It’s a miracle I’m alive to be honest. I can easily lose consciousness if it gets too hot or I get overwhelmed. It’s definitely made life hard for me, and I can’t work like I used to.”
Carlos has had operations on his heart, his liver, and his gall bladder that have left him disabled. Unable to afford his medical care or work a job due to his condition, Carlos found himself homeless through no fault of his own.
Tragically, Carlos would often be released from the hospital onto the streets, with little time to recover. One day Carlos collapsed while waiting at a bus stop. It was the middle of the summer in full heat, he hadn’t eaten for days, and hadn’t been able to pay for the medication he needed. If Carlos had been left on the streets for much longer he may not have survived.
“Before I got here, I didn’t know what my future held. I honestly didn’t think I had a future, everyone seemed fine with me just fading away. But here I’ve found a family, I found a home, and now I have a future that I look forward to.”
When Carlos first arrived at A New Leaf’s men’s homeless shelter, he had been released from medical care and needed consistent rest. His caseworker helped him get on a schedule, take his medications regularly, and apply for disability. Carlos had not even known he was eligible for disability due to his health conditions.
“I felt like someone cared about me for the first time in a long time. Thanks to my caseworker, I was able to get on disability and find an affordable apartment. That was life changing, I finally have an income to support myself. To know that I’ll never be homeless again, that’s just… life-changing.”
With only a few more weeks at A New Leaf’s men’s homeless shelter, Carlos is eager to give back while he still can. He regularly assists with cleaning the shelter, preparing meals, and helping other men find jobs.
“I may not be able to do much because of my heart, but I want to help out before I leave here. This place changed my life forever, and that doesn’t happen often. I am so thankful and plan to pay it forward for the rest of my life.”