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Dear Friend,
For more than thirty years, Raymond has lived on the streets of Pasadena. Well known in the community, he’s long been seen as someone who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, accept help. Programs came and went, but none stuck. Until now.
For the past year, Olivia, our Street Outreach and Housing team’s Housing Navigation Program Manager and Substance Abuse Specialist, has been walking alongside Raymond—not pushing, not demanding, just showing up with consistency and care. Slowly, something shifted. Raymond began to trust her. He admitted he was tired. Tired of being outside. Tired of surviving.
With quiet persistence, Olivia helped Raymond gather every document needed to begin the housing process. She ensured his income was up to date, got him a replacement Social Security card, and even put him in a motel room twice. And both times, he actually used it. A small but significant sign that he was beginning to accept support.
Today, Raymond is practicing harm reduction, has been connected to mental health services, and after decades on the streets, he’s been matched to a Pasadena COC housing voucher. His application is in progress, and for the first time in a long time, housing is a real possibility.
Helping someone like Raymond takes more than services. It takes patience. Compassion. And a steadfast belief that even those most deeply entrenched in homelessness deserve the time and space to choose something different.
At Friends In Deed, we believe no one is too far gone. And Raymond’s story is proof of that.
One of the aspects of FID that we pride ourselves on is providing compassion and dignity first and foremost–even if a person isn’t ready to accept services, or has a difficult time trusting. These attributes are core to our mission–whether or not we are able to provide the services WE want for the person, each human being has to make that decision for themselves. And in that moment, our role is to continue to provide compassion and dignity, always.
At a time when growing anger in our country is being directed at those who are suffering most from our society’s failures to care for the vulnerable, we remain committed to redoubling our efforts, offering love and hope, even when the road ahead is long. It is for people like Raymond and the countless others we encounter on our streets that we come to work each day.
Thank you for helping us make this happen–your support means everything.
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