HOPE Stories

Sheena is a single mom who has been utilizing CHF’s case management services for a little over a year. Her and her son Sam (age 6) lost their housing in California and moved to Oregon in hopes of having a better chance in finding a place to live. They were unable to find housing and had no other options but to camp. Due to their housing instability, Sheena asked Sam’s grandparents on his father’s side if they could care for him until she was able to become more stable and get back into housing. They are now reunited and live in an apartment of their own.

Eight years ago, Amanda went to Community Outreach, Inc, (COI), a transformational housing program in Corvallis, after an interaction with law enforcement. She was using drugs at the time and recovering from the sudden loss of her beloved life partner. Amanda was injured in the interaction and spent time at the emergency room and intensive care units with life-threatening bullet wounds. She acknowledges her own responsibility in the interaction and recognizes that it put her on the path to healing and learning to thrive at COI.

Craig is a wartime veteran with service-related PTSD, anxiety, and hearing loss.

Even though he has 30 years of expertise in the bookbinding profession, Craig was homeless for many years. He didn’t want anyone in his family to know his situation and to know that he was drinking. He says drugs and alcohol got in the way of his career.

“COI was that steppingstone that I needed to get back on my feet.” Craig worked with his case manager at COI and his VA representative to get his service-related disability benefits while he was stable in COI’s housing dorms.