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My Story: Linda Whitney

[As presented during the General Session at the 2006 Housing California Annual Conference]

When I found myself bereft of home funds and a job, it was like the tsunami of all the troubled waters of my life. It was definitely the worst time in my life, and I had suffered devastating things like my own mother's suicide, my father dying in my arms -- a great oak of a man, who at that time weighed 90 lbs -- and many other trials and heartaches, and raising a family and working. But when I was homeless, it definitely, definitely was the worst.

The shelter systems are wonderful. All the people, all the staff, at every place that I laid my head, were considerate, and I often wonder where they got the patience to deal with all these people who are at the worst time in their life.

I didn't want to impose on family. For almost 11 months, I stayed in shelters and never had to be out on the street homeless with all my things and without a place to go. It was almost 11 months of going from one shelter to another. Finally Carol's Place, which you may know is a wonderful home for people with a mental illness diagnosis, is where I was introduced to the TLCS program through Leslie Sour (an angel). Through her encouragement and inspiration, and on the eve of my 50th birthday, January 3, 2003, I was able to wash my hands in my own home, and know that what I was eating came from me, that no one was going to be in my face, and I could lay down and sleep in my own bed. Almost instantly the whole nightmare of the 11 months, disappeared, and I was able to get back on my feet, go back to work, and Leslie has everything to do with that – the constant prodding.

There just aren't any words to describe the difference between wondering where you're going to stay that night, or the next day, or in 30 days. There is no way to describe the stability and the sense of comfort offered by having my own place to live. Along with the case-management services, having Leslie as my mental-heath advocate has totally turned my life around -- everything, everything is just wonderful. I can't say enough about how many people out there, deserve, need, and require a home, for all of society.