Thomas’ Story

A Story of Resilience.

Thomas’ journey has been one of resilience, gratitude, and a lot of faith. Thomas moved back to Baltimore from Chicago to live with his sister and her husband after his mother and grandmother both passed away. When his sister left Baltimore to escape an abusive situation, Thomas needed to find a new place to live. He found housing through the shelter system in Baltimore where he stayed for seven years. He kept to himself mostly and didn’t cause trouble, but one day trouble found him when a group of young men jumped him, hitting him in the head. Thomas decided not to press charges and instead moved forward by relying on his faith. “God always protects me. He keeps his angels around me,” he said.

Thomas began visiting Beans & Bread—St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore’s comprehensive day resource program serving more than 300 people per day—for meals and socializing. During one of his frequent visits in May 2022, he learned about SVDP’s Rapid-Rehousing program. Our team was able to locate a safe, ground-floor apartment for him so he wouldn’t have to navigate stairs—due to having cerebral palsy and a metal plate in his hip. Thomas moved into his current apartment in Baltimore and is now a client of Home Connections, which helps cover a portion of his rent and utilities while also providing vital case management.

“I couldn’t ask for any better case managers. They are very caring. They’ve done everything I’ve ever asked of them,” he stated.

Today, Thomas works at a Royal Farms store and is happy to have a place where he feels protected, safe, and secure—a stark contrast to the instability he faced before. “This is where I want to be. This is permanent—for the rest of my life. I’m very thankful,” he said.