Nina's Story

My name is Nina Seago, I’m 28 years old, and I have been homeless since the age of 11. I bounced around numerous different places as a child. I’ve lived in shelters for kids, foster care, homes for kids, and then shelters as an adult. The places where I stayed at were not stable. People I stayed with were either mean or had major health issues. I was last employed in 2007 and have not had a job since although I have a lot of job experience. I do have mental health issues, which limits my ability to find stable employment. You get discouraged when you have mental illness and things don’t seem to be getting better. I’d like to go back to school but finding a permanent address is more important right now. I get most of my meals from the soup kitchen, as I have no income. I’ve never really had anyone to rely on for support. I wish there was more affordable or transitional housing for women so we didn’t keep bouncing around from shelter to shelter.

"The poor should come first." - Nina

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John's Story

I am a Veteran of the United States Army, and I have been homeless for 3 years. I served my country but since then I made some mistakes and also served time in prison. I need to keep an address as part of my probation, or I could be sent back to prison. I am unable to find work despite all the experience I have, as part of my military experience I worked on the United States Rail Road, and as an army chef. Going from one shelter to another it has been difficult and most of my days are spent outside, where I could get sick from the extreme cold and rain.

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Nancy's Story

My name is Nancy Espanol. I am the mother of seven children. I hold an Associate’s Degree in computer sciences and a Bachelors degree in political science. I worked as a substance abuse counselor, as well as held positions in the Federal court and the Supreme Court, however, none of that stopped me from becoming homeless. I became homeless because I became addicted to drugs in my mid 20’s after my children grew up and left the nest. During that same time, my father, sister and brothers all died, leaving me alone in the world with only drugs to turn to. I have been drug free for the past four years with the help of a drug program I enrolled myself in. However, no one wants to hire anyone in their twilight years. Employers won’t hire anyone over 50, and without money, I can’t get an apartment or housing. Now, my days entail living in shelters, visits to the library, and searching for a job. I have gotten the flu and pneumonia numerous times from being out in the elements during the winter, and am currently battling cancer while homeless. My children cannot support me because they themselves are struggling because of the economic situation we are in. For now, I am on my own.

"Help, I need help desperately." - Nancy

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John's Story

Hello, my name is John, and I have been homeless for over 5 months now after I broke my collarbone and was unable to work. As a result my home was foreclosed on and I am now out on the street. I have a degree in Business Management, so I never saw myself ending up in this situation. Additionally, since my house is currently being foreclosed on, I do not qualify for much of the assistance I need, including health insurance. Getting employment is difficult because of my medical issues. Employers now get your medical history as well as your criminal history when doing their background check, and no employer wants the burden of having to deal with someone with a serious medical issue, or take the chance of my getting injured on the job. Since I can’t spend more than 20 minutes at a time on my feet, as are my doctor’s orders, it is difficult for me to get around Hartford. I spend most of my time at the library filling out applications for jobs, medical insurance and updating my resume. However, as far as I am concerned, finding work is the major problem for me because of my disability.

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Fernando's Story

Hello, my name is Fernando Jimenez, I grew up in New Britain being exposed to drugs and gangs. I was never an addict, but being around drugs and being associated with a gang eventually got me thrown in prison. Since March 4th, when I was released from prison, I became homeless. I have mental health issues, high blood pressure, degenerative spine disease, and have recently been diagnosed with cancer. In order to get treatment for my cancer, the hospital said I first must have a stable living condition. Since I am homeless and without a job it is unlikely that I will have any permanent housing anytime soon. I have been trying to get onto disability for over three years but have kept being denied. I spend every day working on something related to my health, whether it be paperwork or doctor visits, that normally dominates my day in between the shelters. My only family left is my mother, who is in the hospital, and unable to support me, and my daughters, who I no longer talk to. As of now, I am on my own to deal with homelessness as well as my medical issues.

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Timothy's Story

My name is Timothy Flath, I grew up in East Hartford, have three daughters and worked most of my life at a full time job until 1999 when I was in a severe head on accident on my motorcycle while on my way to work. As a result, I suffered a traumatic brain injury and numerous bones in my body were broken. I spent three months in an intensive care unit and had to undergo over 30 surgeries as well as go through rehabilitation. Now, I suffer from numerous conditions as a result of the injuries I sustained including depression, anxiety, chronic pain syndrome and post traumatic stress disorder. I have to take numerous medications to help cope with these conditions, including pain killers, which I became addicted to after taking them for so long for the pain I endured because of the accident.

After the accident, I was homeless for 10 years, and during that time I was unable to find a job because employers do not want to hear that I need to see a doctor every month, and that I have pre-existing medical conditions. Also, when I tried to get on disability, I was denied numerous times and it was only after I got a lawyer that I was finally able to collect $800/month to help pay for my medications, food and housing. After I was approved for disabilities, I moved into a public housing unit in an unsafe neighborhood where I was personally assaulted and robbed near my home and where someone was murdered right outside my home. I moved out of the public housing unit and into an apartment, and quickly found out I could not afford to pay the rent, buy food and be able to afford my medication all at the same time. Now, I am back living in shelters and on the street.

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Alonzo's Story

I am Alonzo Nails and I am 55 years old and I have been Homeless for most of my life. I am one of 12 children, and lost my mother to Cancer at a young age; since then I have longed for love and guidance, but never had the stability to keep my life on track. I have gone from staying with friends to having short-term housing situations, but it has been what I consider ‘Hell’ searching for love and a place of my own, and instead falling in with the wrong crowd. I feel like people don’t understand me, or care about what I’m going through in my daily challenges. My health has been negatively impacted by life on the streets, I have serious knee problems including arthritis, my vision has been impaired, and I am diabetic because I’ve been unable to take care of myself. I walk the streets all day and I fear the police will stop me because they see me as a problem rather than a person. My means of getting by each day is the trust in my higher power, and my faith in God to help me to continue each day. I have a son, whom I am no longer in contact with, and I wish we could start over and try to rebuild a relationship; I also have a daughter who is part of my life and grandchildren who are my greatest joy. I wish I had a place of my own to be with them, and the means to even offer them juice or something to eat.

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Charles's Story

My name is Charles Langley. I grew up in Norwalk. I came to Hartford to participate in the Salvation Army Recovery Program. After that I bounced around living with different people but never having my own place to stay. I ended up in jail and when I got out ended up homeless and in the shelter. I was moved into a transitional program to wait for housing through a program that helps those recently released from prison but my number never came up and my time ran out at the transitional I was staying at. I ended up sleeping in an abandoned building for a while which really took a toll on my health. I am diabetic and have to take insulin 4 times a day but had no food to take it with. I ended up in the hospital and have lost a significant amount of weight. I also have an inflamed knee that makes it difficult for me to get around. I do have a work history of landscaping, working for a contractor on houses, automotive, general handyman work, and cooking. I actually went to culinary school to be a cook but have a hard time finding a job now that I am ill and have a criminal background. I wish I could get into housing so I could be healthy and able bodied again.

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Marty's Story

I am Marty and I have spent much of my adult life in and out of prison. When I was released a year ago I was homeless, and have been ever since. I struggle constantly trying to find a job, but having a felony record makes it very difficult. I have over twenty year’s job experience yet as a felon I feel looked down on by perspective employers. In prison I served my time and now I want to become a productive member of society, but no one will give me a chance, and without a job I can’t afford housing. Many apartments and rooms for rent also discriminate against felons as well, so that makes it even harder to rehabilitate knowing that. My health has suffered due to homelessness, I have gotten sick at that shelter because many of the people here have trouble, had untreated colds and the flu, and in such close quarters germs tend to spread. I had the flu 6 times within a short time period and ultimately it affected my lungs and lower back. I would tell anyone who would listen to give me a chance, and not just see me as a felon, but as an individual.

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Sheryl's Story

Hello, my name is Sheryl Thomas. I was born and raised in the North End of Hartford and lived with my mom for most of my life. She passed away in 2006 and I felt lost without her. I had my own apartments but couldn’t afford the rent and ended up living in places where it was unfit to live. There were feces on the floor from rodents and leaks and mold everywhere. I am also disabled and have been for about 20 years. I receive some income from social security disability but not nearly enough to pay for an apartment. In these past two years since I’ve been homeless I’ve slept in ER’s, hallways, Bushnell Park on the benches, and shelters. Sleeping outside is dangerous for a woman. I thank God that I haven’t been robbed or attacked like others living out on the street. When you’re on the street you feel lonely and scared. I cry often.

"I’m tired of living on the street, I’m tired of going from shelter to shelter, I’m tired of being homeless!" - Sheryl

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