Meet Robert: Petaluma Team Member

We first met Robert sitting under a gazebo in Walnut Park trying his best to stay dry from the rain. A brief but meaningful outreach engagement took place and we learned Robert had been homeless off and on, in and out of various programs and jail for more than 20 years. He had a long history working with what many call the “system” and expressed hopelessness, but also the desire to do something different. He faced barriers relating to the trauma of living on the streets and was unable to overcome the complex bureaucracy facing those experiencing homelessness.

Robert was a Veteran and entitled to benefits that would help him exit homeless. But without access to a computer, a stable address, or even vital documents, there was no way he could ever receive them. Robert had shrugged it off, saying: "I gave up." But his Case Manager Rusty wouldn't. It took months of back and forth, and Robert continued with his work on the Team, never letting the system make him hopeless again. Because he knew at Downtown Streets Team, his Case Manager would move heaven and earth before letting Robert down.

And then it came. An email confirming Robert was eligible for his benefits as a Veteran. Rusty asked, “So, Robert, how does it feel to be a veteran?” With an amazed smile, all he said was: "wow." Over four decades after being discharged from the military, Robert was now receiving the benefits that were rightfully his. Now, Robert qualified for an apartment. Soon, he will have the keys to his apartment: to the door that opens the potential to healing, security, and positive change. Robert’s path out of homelessness began in February, and it is far from over. Despite the benefits, he still has to work to apply for housing and wait for red tape to clear. He hasn’t given up hope, and in the short time he has been with DST, Robert has removed 13 barriers