Steven Pease will be home for the holidays. This week, he got keys to a shared apartment in Gresham Heights.
“It’s a ways out, but other than that it gets me away from downtown. Nice, quiet, peaceful. I love it.”
Just a few months ago, Steven was sleeping in a Transition Projects shelter and working toward receiving disability payments.
“I was able to have a little bit of stability. It gave me enough time to relax and just take things one step at a time instead of worrying about all the other stuff that happens,” Steven said. “They offered to help with the deposits and all that stuff, but I felt that since my disability came through, and I was able to take care of that all on my own and reserve that money for somebody else that’s in a worse-off position than me. I really believe that it was meant to happen. I put an ad on Craigslist, and somebody responded.”
Steven is now sharing a condo with a roommate with hopes that it will enhance the quality of life for both of them. He is even able to save a bit of money now.
“The first night there I was ecstatic!” he said. “I couldn’t really sleep.”
“I just want to say thank you to all my customers for the blessings they’ve shown upon me in their own little ways and just to wish them a very happy and prosperous new year,” Steven said.
And for those who are still homeless, the same position Steven was in just a few weeks ago, he said, “Stay strong, stay steady and don’t give up.”
