“When I was homeless, St. Patrick Center gave me a boost up. That means a lot to me, and I’ll never forget it.”

For John Hicks, drug use came later in life. He was in his 30’s, became depressed with his family situation and started hanging out with the wrong crowd. Before long, John was homeless. “I felt lifeless,” John recalls. “I didn’t know what I was doing and I didn’t have any answers, so I came to St. Patrick Center.”

John credits a particular St. Patrick Center employment case manager for making a huge difference in his life. “I was angry at the world, and Jess Cox took the time to listen.” Instead of taking a job to support his drug habit, John went to treatment and returned to St. Patrick Center afterward. “It felt so good to see Jess smile and have her listen to me. A lot of people don’t know how much it means to have someone listen to you.”

St. Patrick Center helped John get off the streets and into an apartment. The agency also helped him get a job and pay for his security officer license and uniform. “I like my job. It feels good to be working and every day I realize that I have my life back!”

John says another woman gave him the strength and confidence he needed for recovery – a new friend he met at a bus stop and later made his wife! Today, John is working to gain custody of his young son. He stays away from negative people and does what he does for “God first”. “Everything else will fall into place,” John says, “and I am stronger.”