Damon’s stay at the Urban Alchemy-operated Peninsula Safe Rest Village started with a quest.
He and his girlfriend, Jessica, gave up their jobs and apartment in Portland to go live with Damon’s father. The two had been estranged since Damon’s birth but started to develop a relationship over phone calls and other correspondence.
The couple bought a van and traveled across the country with their collie to the small town of Thayer, Missouri, near the Arkansas border. They were excited for a new life in a part of the country neither of them had ever been to before.
However, when they arrived, they found nothing was as Damon’s father had promised. Heartbroken and disillusioned, they debated whether to stay in Missouri or make the long journey back to Portland. In the end, they decided to go back to their familiar home, where the winters are shorter and Damon, who receives SSI due to his Asperger’s diagnosis, knows how to navigate the social services.
When they got back, they were fortunate that Jessica was welcomed back to her old job, and Damon was able to return to driving Uber and working odd handyman jobs. However, while they could afford rent, they didn’t have the funds to make a deposit on an apartment and were forced to continue living in their van.
One of Damon’s friends, who was staying at the Clinton Triangle Safe Rest Village told him about the program and helped connect him with a caseworker, who arranged for the couple to move into Peninsula.
Damon felt safe and organized for the first time in months. Because of his autism, his inability to keep his possessions organized while in the van was proving to be a major burden on his life. The staff made them feel safe and at home, cracking jokes and providing hot, tasty meals.
They’ve set a goal of saving one month’s rent, plus $500, and Urban Alchemy’s team has already helped connect them with a program that will put up the money for a deposit. They’re confident they’ll manage to find a new home of their own soon.