One young man entered our Drop-in Center community while navigating homelessness, alternating between sleeping on the streets and couch-surfing with friends. His journey began after an acute mental health stay at a local hospital, which led him to seek support at our center. Initially, we focused on addressing his immediate housing needs, guiding him through accessing safer shelter options and facilitating housing referrals to various facilities across Albuquerque. Eventually, he secured housing through New Day's program, where he has since thrived.
In addition to stable housing, he has actively participated in our Drop-in Center's offerings, attending an impressive 59 Life Skills Development groups and activities, some of which he now hosts himself. His passion for photography blossomed through an opportunity provided by a New Day partnership, leading him to start and lead a photography class at the center. He has also embarked on an educational journey, pursuing Business and Photography classes at college with aspirations to launch his own photography business.
Beyond personal growth and academic pursuits, he contributes to our community through involvement in our Community Advisory Council, where he plays a crucial role in advocating for substance use awareness and harm reduction. Additionally, he has been linked to a therapist and has not experienced any acute mental health episodes since entering our program, highlighting the comprehensive support and stability our program has provided him.
