“It made a world of difference to me.”
Although he had a roof over his head, Marcus still considered himself “pretty much homeless.” His residence was in bad condition, and he didn’t really have a way out.
“It was pretty much falling down,” he remembers. “It was trial after trial. I didn’t know how I was going survive.”
That’s when Marcus got connected to Community Human Services (CHS). The Pittsburgh-based nonprofit helps struggling individuals and families access stable housing, community resources, food, and more.
UPMC is proud to partner with CHS in its mission.
When Marcus learned of CHS, it gave him “real hope,” he says. CHS provided him with a stable place to live for the first time in years.
“It made a world of difference to me,” he says. “Because I was out here pretty much almost 10 years struggling, trying to figure out what I was going to do, before I met with anyone from the organization. When they got with me and started talking to me, I really started feeling like I could do this. I have a chance. That really helped.”
Marcus says having a stable living environment lifted a heavy burden off his shoulders mentally. It enabled him to take other steps to improve his overall living situation. He could focus more on his health and well-being.
“Whenever I got there, it was a new beginning for me,” he says. “I’ve been through too much, and I feel this was a nice opportunity for me to have a whole new start.
“Everything seemed to change. Like, I didn't have this cloud over my head like I usually felt was always following me. I felt like I had more energy when technically I wasn't doing anything different.”
CHS continued to follow up with Marcus after providing his initial housing. Later on, they helped him find another residence. They also connected him to local food banks, helped him with transportation, and aided him in finding supplies for his house.
Marcus says the CHS workers assigned to him provided “a voice when I needed a voice” and “an ear when I needed an ear.” He’s thankful for the help he received.
“They made sure I was taken care of,” he says.
At UPMC, we are proud to support organizations like CHS that help people in our communities. Because Life Changing Medicine means giving opportunities to people in need.
Learn more about how Community Human Services (CHS) helps individuals in our community connect with residential support and other critical resources.
Working in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and a wide range of community organizations, we are committed to improving the health of the communities we serve.
Life Changing Medicine at UPMC is made possible every day through the generosity of numerous individuals, corporations and foundations.
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