Ten years ago, Barry had a stable life: a career as a pharmacy technician, a wife, two sons, and a sense of everyday security. Today, in his mid-forties, he's navigating a reality shaped by addiction, divorce, job loss, and homelessness.
The decline was gradual. First came drug addiction, then the unraveling of his marriage, the loss of his job, and finally, housing instability. Barry moved in with his sister and her wife, then crashed with a friend in Chicago, before landing at STAC—the City of Chicago's shelter program for people with nowhere else to turn. It's a challenging environment where theft and illness are constant struggles in a strained system.
Barry got clean. That hard-won victory opened a new chapter—but not an easy one. With an eviction notice on his record and damaged credit, even securing employment didn't translate to securing housing. He found work at CVS, but when his hours were slashed, he pivoted to UIC Health. For a moment, things looked promising. Then that position disappeared when the person on maternity leave returned.
"It's easy to say it's everyone else's fault, but the truth is, it's all really mine," Barry reflects. "You need to take responsibility, and it's taken me a while to realize that while I never really got life skills growing up—and maybe that was my parents' fault—but in the end, it's me who needs to step up."
His thoughts turn to his 19-year-old son. "I really worry he's making the same mistakes." Barry feels his ex-wife shelters their son too much, while her new husband, having already raised his own children, doesn't want the responsibility of guiding another.
With Jessica's help as his Case Manager at The Night Ministry, Barry moved from STAC to Safe Haven—a significant upgrade. But stability remains elusive. He admits he's "horrible" with money, and without steady employment, even his current housing is at risk.
He had hoped to transition to Mercy Home, another step toward independence with modest monthly rent—doable in theory, impossible without income. It's a dilemma faced by countless Chicagoans: people who are this close to making it but hit barrier after heartbreaking barrier.
Despite the setbacks, Barry offers wisdom born from experience: "If you find yourself in this situation, find someone with advocacy knowledge, like Jessica, to help you navigate the system. It's invaluable to have a network to help connect with the services you need—it's a process, but I am trying to stay positive and on track."
Barry's story isn't over. With advocates like Jessica and The Night Ministry in his corner, he'sdetermined to keep moving forward—one difficult step at a time.