Meet Chad

Chad’s early life in Bellingham, Washington was already in the fast lane as he started to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana around the age of seven. Unfortunately, Chad got access to the various substances through his parents. His father had addiction issues so Chad was surrounded by drug use at an early age.

Chad's first brushes with the law started when he was around 13 years old. By the time he reached the age of 15, his parents kicked him out of the home because he didn’t participate in school and often would disappear for a day or two at a time to go party with friends. For the next year he bounced around staying at different friends’ homes until he wore out his options and ended up homeless on the streets. He moved to Seattle to find a better life but there were not many options for a runaway teen so after being homeless for a year he moved back to Bellingham.

Life in Bellingham was a struggle and he remained homeless on the streets for approximately 14 long years. Homelessness became a succession of getting high, being arrested, ending up in jail, and serving time in prison twice. Roughly four years of Chad’s life was spent behind bars.

Because Chad was homeless, his choices in life were very limited. He committed crimes to survive and buy drugs as a means to cope with a harsh life on the streets. “I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I didn’t see any other options. I rationalized my choices as I needed to survive.” It was the only lifestyle that Chad knew and so he carried on with the pattern. “I did not like living this way, but at the time I saw it as my only option.”

After getting released from prison the last time, Chad received approval to live in Pioneer’s City Gate Apartments in Bellingham. City Gate provides housing to individuals in the Whatcom County Reentry Housing Program and Veterans. He enrolled in an intensive outpatient treatment program and started to attend AA and NA meetings twice a week. “I made the decision to continue my recovery plan and make it a way of life. That included having to cut people from my life who were using drugs. I chose to surround myself with sober people. My recovery journey will continue for the rest of my life.”

Chad went to college for a year after he had moved into City Gate. After about two more years of living at City Gate he was feeling stronger and more self-confident, and started looking for work. The support he received from staff helped him to want to pursue a better life for himself. “I heard about a job opening at Pioneer’s Transition House in Mount Vernon. The program provides housing and services to people with mental health and substance use disorder issues. I was so lucky to get hired in the position of resident monitor and have the chance to build my career.”

Currently, Chad lives In Mount Vernon, Washington and works at Pioneer Transition House. “I love my job and I’m very grateful for all the opportunities Pioneer Human Services has given me. You can’t imagine what it feels like to be living back in society with a roof over my head and a job that allows me to give back and help others who are in need. I’ve come full circle.”