I am what I like to call a survivor and I would like to highlight a special group of people in my life and one very special person who has made a big impact on my life.

Before I found HomeBase, I was living on Mill Avenue. I had run away from an abusive family and was homeless, sleeping in the desert at night. By day I would ask people for change so I could get something to eat. I thought I was all alone and on my own. At night, the HomeBase van came to Mill and gave out water, food, and I got a sleeping bag.

I was brought to the Outreach Center by a friend and was welcomed with open arms by everyone. Though I had no place to go I felt welcomed and safe. I knew that if anything were to happen to me someone would be looking for me, which is more than I had felt in a long time.

Believe it or not, I decided to stay on the streets. I had gotten used to the street life and was afraid of changing again. I did take the red line bus to and from the Outreach Center every day. Can you believe it? After all these years I can still remember every bus ride! HomeBase provided me with bus tickets for my trips. That told me they really wanted to see me again, no matter what my faults were in the past. At the Outreach Center, I could get food, take a shower, do laundry, and visit the clothes room.

There is one person in particular at HomeBase who I would like to thank more than anything. His name is Larry Comeau. Larry volunteers at HomeBase and would drive the van out to Mill to pass out supplies and worked with us at the Outreach Center. He looked like the Jolly Green Giant to me (he's very tall) and was just as friendly. If you ever meet him you'll see he looks just like the Jolly Green Giant (except that he's not green, of course!).

I am so thankful for the people at HomeBase like Larry and the way they never gave up on me. For once, there was someone in my life that I knew would not let me down. At one point, I went to jail and Larry was able to visit me and attend my court date. To my surprise, I was released to HomeBase Youth Services and believed that I was really free. I had been in what we called "the system" ever since I was eight years old and it's no place I would ever want to be again.

Now I'd like to tell you who I am today. I am 24 years old and I have been clean for two years. My husband and I are new parents of a beautiful baby boy named Vincenzo. We have our own home! My husband is a painter and the onsite manager where we live. I get to stay home to be a mommy and love it!

My life is now complete and I owe it to HomeBase. I would never have known there was something better for me if I hadn't experienced HomeBase. I experienced what it was like to have a consistent place to go and people to talk to and people who cared about me. Yes, HomeBase has done a lot for me when no one else was there. I am a survivor because of the caring people and resources they provided.

Forever grateful,

"Sherrill" and family