A. Allen's reflections on homelessness

When I look back on the years of 2006, 2007 and 2008, I thought they were the worst years of my life because those were the years I was basically homeless and living outside. I lived in cars, garages, abandoned buildings and under porches. It was very rough and many times I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I really thought I would freeze to death.

Some nights I'd get lucky and friends would sneak me into their parents’ house. On really cold nights, some men would sneak me past their wives so I would not freeze outside. I am still grateful for these acts of kindness.

Now I work for StreetWise. I realize during those dark years in my homeless life I could have been selling magazines. “On August 24, 1992, a solution emerged to the rising homelessness crisis in Chicago,” is a quote taken from the StreetWise orientation package about the publication’s first issue. It would have worked out perfect for me, but at the time vendors had a three-day orientation. The bus fare I used to get there was my drinking and cigarette money. When it wasn’t finished in one day, I wasn’t going to sacrifice that money for two more days.

It still worked out good, because in October 2009 I said enough is enough. I could not do another homeless winter in Chicago. That’s when I sought help for my alcohol and drug addiction. And when I got help for these problems, the other problems of homelessness – hunger and hopelessness – seemed to work themselves out. I didn’t go to a shelter because they want you to be in at a certain time, but at night I was making my money to survive during the day: shooting dice, for example. Also, the shelters have all kinds of rules, but they have no rules to keep your stuff safe from stealing.

After being sober for one year, I came to StreetWise, the last house on the block for me. Being sober, I was able to think clearer, to rationalize my basic needs. I learned I didn’t need to smoke or drink, I could save the money. The drinking and smoking wasn’t a necessity like being clothed and having shelter. After I went through a substance abuse program, the counselors found me a halfway house and, finally, housing. I’ve stayed sober and am in a much better place.