EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A GREAT STORY
Introduction by John N. Lozier
June, 2005
Beginning in 1985 with a 19-city demonstration program, and continuing today with 177 federal grants to projects throughout the nation, the Health Care for the Homeless Program has provided health services to an utterly dispossessed, largely uninsured, seriously ill, and terribly large number of Americans. Each year, the targeted federal program serves some 600,000 homeless persons.
This publication marks – but does not exactly celebrate – the 20th anniversary of Health Care for the Homeless. In collecting here stories of people whose lives have been changed by Health Care for the Homeless, we rejoice with them in their recoveries from homelessness, from devastating addictions, from other illnesses, and from the traumatic effects of poverty. We delight in their continuing commitment to combat homelessness in their own lives and among their neighbors. It is gratifying to know that their stories are representative of countless others, people who have been assisted in ways large and small by Health Care for the Homeless, and who have moved on into better, healthier circumstances.
We cannot but recognize, however, how much remains to be done. The painfully obvious and continuing need for safety net programs like Health Care for the Homeless speaks volumes about the need to improve access to mainstream service systems and permanent affordable housing. We who work in Health Care for the Homeless recognize the inadequacies of a safety net approach to the survival needs of our impoverished neighbors, and we find in their resilience – well represented in the pages that follow – wonderful encouragement to continue in the difficult work of helping individuals and our society to change.
Change in our lives often occurs in small increments, one step at a time. For ourselves, for our clients and for our society, we celebrate small, positive changes, and in doing so we pave the way for the larger changes that will assure access to quality health care, standard housing and adequate incomes for everyone.
Jeff Olivet conducted the interviews and wrote the remainder of this publication. Ansell Horn took the photographs. We are grateful to both for their skill and sensitivity. A grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration funded this publication.
This publication would not have been possible without the willingness of fine people who have experienced the horrors of homelessness to let us share their stories. They have our lasting gratitude and admiration.
John Lozier
Executive Director
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
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