Yolanda has a generous spirit. Even when she was struggling, living under a bridge by the Chicago River, she looked out for those around her, sharing resources like the BBQ meals she grilled.
"You need something to eat? Come around here, and I'm going to feed you," she recalls telling her neighbors she shared an encampment with. "When I was growing up, my mom always said you treat people like you want to be treated."
With help from The Night Ministry, Yolanda moved into her apartment in February. But she endured over two years on the streets before that. She had been employed as a live-in caretaker but lost her housing after her client passed away.
Living outside took a toll on Yolanda's health, as she faced barriers to treating her high blood pressure, asthma, and other chronic conditions. Winter was especially tough.
"I didn't want to get out of my tent because it was so cold. I'd be so warm in my little spot under the sleeping blankets that I'd lay there and miss my appointments. Sometimes, I'd go maybe a month or two without medication," Yolanda says.
Connecting with The Night Ministry's Street Medicine Team proved a turning point. She started working with Case Manager Sylvia Hibbard to find housing, and the team helped her survive in the meantime.
"For a whole year, they took care of me, made sure I was safe, made sure I ate, made sure I had clothes on my back," she says.
Today, Yolanda enjoys having a safe and stable place to live. "I can sleep in the bed, open the refrigerator to get something to eat, soak in the bathtub," she says. "It's so wonderful."
Note: Before moving into her apartment earlier this year, Yolanda participated in WTTW's FIRSTHAND: Homeless documentary series. A link to watch her story is above.
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