Mercy Housing Connecticut

"I am here to tell you that I became homeless about 10 months ago. After raising two daughters as a single parent and living a relatively normal life, my life collapsed under severe depression. A depression triggered by a childhood of severe abuse and neglect. I found myself in an emergency shelter and then was able to move to a transitional living program run by Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation. It was both luck and faith that brought me to Mercy. I became surrounded by a caring and professional staff that helped me to get back on my feet. As a U.S. Navy Veteran, Mercy helped me to re-connect with my V.A. benefits and helped me to get treatment for my depression. Now I live in my own apartment. It was a long and hard road, but I was able to overcome many obstacles. Mercy Housing and Shelter has done a lot for many people. My name is Joan and I am happy and proud to be a success story for Mercy Housing and Shelter."

Pictured here, Joan shares her story at Mercy's 2010 "Dreams Can Come True" Gala. She was also featured on pages 24-25, along with Mercy Housing and Shelter, in the December 17, 2010, issue of the Hartford Business Journal.

With Bare Hands

With bare hands, Eric Hodge slowly massages leather cream into a pair of black wingtips, then briskly snaps a cloth back and forth to buff out a lustrous shine. He gently taps the man’s feet to signal he’s done and turns his attention to his next client at the two-seat shoe shine stand in CityPlace, a bustling 38-story high rise in the heart of Hartford. Eric’s quiet, steady manner belies his turbulent former life of homelessness, drug use, strokes, violence (he was shot in the abdomen during an argument), and jail time. Tired of street life, he came to Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation’s St. Elizabeth House, where he lived and worked on making a better life for himself with the help of case managers. As soon as he landed a room at St. Elizabeth, Eric, a former New England Golden Glove champ, found a job shining shoes with the help of Dale Reese, a parishioner at Wethersfield Evangelical Free Church. Dale was impressed with Eric’s determination, so when Pastor Scott Solberg handed out small sums of money and asked the congregation to go forth and multiply those funds for the greater good, he turned to Eric. Dale bought shoe shine supplies with the money from Pastor Scott and instructed Eric in how to make money from the investment. Eric donated $1 for every shoeshine between Nov. 10 and Dec. 5, and solicited customer donations by telling his story on a flier that Reese helped create. At Christmas time, in 2008, Eric gave St. Elizabeth House a check for $583 to be used to help others who live there. “I learned that if you want to keep it, you’ve got to give it away,” he said.

Man on a Mission

After two years on Hartford streets, Gary Cain is getting his life back. Cain, one of 118 adults living in Mercy's transitional housing, was a college football player. The divorced father of three grew up in Fairfield County, but became ensnarled in addiction and lost it all.

Thanks to donations and grants, Mercy is able to provide Cain a warm meal, roof over his head, recovery counseling, and guidance toward independence. We also are able to obtain free dental work and knee surgery for him. Cain, who turned 43 in February, is looking for work. In the meantime, he coaches Special Olympics, volunteers at a soup kitchen and provides security for his church. To donate to help people like Gary, please click here.

Family Friendship

Jose Ortiz, 4, enjoys lunch with his mother and grandmother in the family room of the Friendship Center at St. Elizabeth House.

With the cost of electricity, oil, and gasoline skyrocketing, more and more families are relying on the Friendship Center, which serves two free meals a day, Monday through Friday. The Center features a family room that is separate from the main dining room. On any weekeday at lunchtime, you will find several families eating together in the room, which also has a small play area for children.

A recent survey conducted by Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation showed that about 40 percent of the people who receive free meals at the Friendship Center are working families. Not having to pay for two meals a day helps them stretch their limited dollars to pay for other essentials, such as rent, electricity, and gasoline.

Click here for information about volunteer opportunities at the Friendship Center.