Healing Starts Here: Meet Martin, and Men Like Him

Martin, 38, bounced between foster homes across Chicago while growing up. The instability left him sad, pessimistic, and distrustful of others, and he often got into trouble. In his twenties, he was an accomplice in a crime and incarcerated shortly thereafter

When he was released, like many men leaving prison, he had nowhere to go and became homeless. After spending time at another shelter, and being hospitalized from a gunshot injury, Martin came to our shelter in December 2024. He shared with me, “At North Side Housing, I really feel like a free man for the first time in many years. I’m comfortable, I feel safe here. I have all I need to live.”

Martin began to believe in his future again. His case manager helped him get physical therapy for his injured leg and new tennis shoes to make walking easier. He even enjoys mopping the floors, seeing it as a way to exercise his leg while also helping to keep his “home” clean. This sense of stability gave him room to heal and start imagining a different future.

After living in the shelter for six months, Martin says he is a changed man. His mother believes it too, and invited him to move into her home in Madison, WI. Martin’s story remind us why this work matters. With your support, homeless men can leave a traumatic, survival mode behind and take steps toward building a stable life and having a home. 

Consider donating $25 today, sign up to cook a warm meal in our new shelter, -or share Martin’s story with friends and invite them to join you in making more stories like this possible! 

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