December 11, 2009
‘Welcomed with open arms’: Couple talks about their experience at Ozanam Family Shelter
Alicia and Anthony are currently living at the Ozanam Family Shelter in downtown Evansville. They lost their apartment when Anthony was laid off because of the current economic downturn, and after spending a few days living near the Ohio River, they decided to go to the shelter. "They welcomed us with open arms," Anthony said. Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Everyone needs a warm, safe place to stay in December, and for Anthony and Alicia that place is the Ozanam Family Shelter in downtown Evansville.
They’ve been married for four years, and until a couple of months ago they were living in “fairly decent housing,” Anthony said.
He was a roofer, working on a crew of 18, but because of the downturn in the economy he was laid off. “Thirteen of us lost jobs, and there was no money for rent.” He wasn’t eligible for unemployment, and their landlord evicted them.
“We lost everything, our furniture and our clothing. When our rent ran out, they kicked us out and we lost everything.”
Alicia was recuperating from a hysterectomy, and the couple had no one to turn to for help. Anthony explained that his mom is in a retirement home in Texas, and Alicia said, “My dad is disabled, and he’s barely making it for him and my mom.”
The two of them headed to the Ohio River, and spent a couple of days — and nights — on its banks.
Anthony said, “It was horrible. We sat on the river for two days. We went to a restaurant and cleaned up. It was rough.
“It wasn’t safe. I saw so many drug exchanges on the river where we was at, and I found a lot of empty gun shells.”
He had $26 in his pocket, and they bought lunch meat and bread with the money. “That was breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Anthony said.
“My wife had staples all the way up her stomach, 34 staples. We had sleeping bags on the ground, and I thought, ‘this is not going to work in the winter.’ I had to do something for my wife. I had to get her safe.”
Alicia suggested they go to the Ozanam Family Shelter.
“I almost cry at the memory,” Anthony says, “They welcomed us with open arms. I had prayed and prayed for an answer.” (Related stories: Ozanam Family Shelter suffering from financial storm | A Christmas wish list from Ozanam Shelter)
He remembers being greeted with the words, “We will treat you like one of our own — but you have to follow some rules.”
They were given their own room, the promise of three meals a day, access to laundry facilities and daily chores.
He refers to the staff members as “angels of God who are like Mother Teresa,” and says he refuses to vary an inch from the shelter’s rules “because they have been so good to me.”
“They helped us get back into church,” he said. “I was angry with God. I thought he was punishing me.”
Almost immediately, they were asked to compile a list of goals, and to start looking for work and housing. He was successful in finding a job which he began this week. He anticipates that they will move into their own apartment before Christmas.
“That’s my gift to my wife, to get our own place.”
Alicia said she was nervous and scared when they first moved into the shelter. Anthony said he was in shock. “I felt like I couldn’t go any further. I was at a dead end. Now I regularly go to church. God has been in my life ever since — he grabbed a hold of me.
“When I first went to church I didn’t know if God was ready for me. I was upset with him, and I didn’t know what to say to him. Now I know it was an obstacle he put me through.”
They’ve both heard the talk about the financial hard times at the shelter, and know there’s a possibility that it may have to close. “I’m worried they may close it down before we get out,” Anth-ony said, “and I wonder what will happen to the people who are still here. I’ve made good friends with some of them, and I go to church with them on a regular basis.”
Both worry about the children. Alicia says the youngest resident is a month old.
She says of her experience, “It’s not the grandest thing to say you are in a homeless shelter, but you get three meals, you get to take showers, and you get to wash your clothes.” And it’s safe.
Anthony added, “Someone might say this is the worst place in the world, but if they put their feet in your shoes, they would find out it’s not the worst place in the world.”