“I never imagined being homeless. I always thought I was better than that guy on that corner -- til it happened to me.” Todd is 61 and grew up in Sheffield Lake. After high school, he stayed in the area, got a job and a stable life. When a relationship ended and he had no savings, he suddenly needed a place to live. He stayed with his mother for a time, but when she died in 2020 and her home was sold, he was not prepared.
“I was down and needed a place to go. It was my own fault. My priorities were not what they should have been,” recalls Todd. In a time of crisis, he went to St. Elizabeth Center in Lorain, a Catholic Charities shelter for men. “They treat you with respect. I like to shower and wear clean clothes. They have a big shower room, washers and dryers, and three meals a day with good food. But it’s not a place you want to stay for long. Luckily, I had a job, and at night I was grateful for a roof over my head.”
Todd credits his Catholic Charities case worker for helping him get into permanent housing in a new apartment building designed for people who are homeless or struggle with mental health, substance abuse or developmental disabilities.
“I’m blessed to be here. I love it! My self-esteem is so much better now. I needed the shelter but you gotta take initiative to make a change. So many people live paycheck to paycheck, and being homeless can happen to anybody.”