Affordable Housing Provides Veteran with Stability To Grow
We are pleased to share a story on John, a wonderful resident at Aspen Terrace apartments in Seattle. Aspen Terrace staff is committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment with a range of support services for justice-involved individuals, including:
- One-on-one case management
- Connections to community resources
- Community event schedules to promote meaningful activities.
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About John
John is a Veteran who served in the military for six years. He was referred to our Aspen Terrace housing program and received help from the Veterans Affairs (VA) advocates and support staff at Hero’s Café and the Salvation’ Army’s William Booth Center. Hero’s Café holds a monthly gathering the fourth Tuesday of each month and veterans can drop in between 9 AM and 2 PM.
The café helped John focus on fostering positive outreach, interaction and welfare within the neighboring community. John had previously served 90 days for a DUI. He shared that he was going through a hard time alongside his health conditions that eventually led to his eviction. When John was evicted from his housing after experiencing a robbery, and several health challenges that ensued, he became affiliated with the William Booth Center that gave him support and shelter for over a year.
John shared, “I felt I was giving up hope until I met Monet, VA advocate, from VA hospital in Everett; and Mary, staff on the board of directors at Hero’s café.” John described them as, “So respectful, so caring, and the epitome of an advocate.”
Monet and Mary worked together to secure resources and housing. John now appreciates having the space to talk with other Veterans and is grateful for resources such as being taken to the food bank, and given funds to stay at an inn before getting the referral to Aspen. Since then, his main goal is to give back the compassion he has been shown.
Stabile Housing
Monet worked with John to secure permanent housing, which is how he was connected with Pioneer Human Services’ staff at Aspen Terrace. John stated, “I believe it is my mission in life to be kind and follow in God’s footsteps of gratitude. When I first walked into Aspen Terrace, I was amazed at how ‘upbeat and vibrant’ Jennifer Defatte, apartment manager, was to me. I am so grateful for everyone who surrounds me here – Aspen Terrace is my support system.”
Throughout John’s life, he has craved knowledge and he has explored it through various employment opportunities. When he was 17, he started in the military where he worked on aircrafts as part of an airborne battalion. His career path then led him to engaging in the hospitality and fishing industries, and construction jobs.
Gardening Provides Comfort and Peace
Gardening was not only a profession for John, it was also a hobby. At Aspen Terrace, John still enjoys gardening and the yard is becoming a recipient of his passion and talent. He appreciates getting to care for living things and learned that respect from living on a 1.5 acre property as a child with his family. “I believe that the garden is a place where you can go to be comfortable and be at peace,” John commented.
Today, John uses the garden space as therapy. In the courtyard area, John has been putting in a lot of hard work to ensure the space is enjoyable for everyone by deadheading plants, re-positioning some plants, planting new flowers and bushes, weeding, etc. He has also started to clear out some space on the side of the building so it hopefully can be used as a vegetable garden next spring. The courtyard looks cleaner and brighter, and staff/residents are excited to see how healthy the yard is now with plants re-blooming.
Jaclyn Johnson, case manager, said, “You can always tell when John has been gardening because he has such a big smile on his face and he is always excited to tell us about how the plants are doing.”
And, John really enjoys giving back to his community. He is known to bring resources he learns about back to the Aspen Terrace community. The other day, John brought a stack of food bank home delivery applications to the Aspen Terrace office knowing that other residents in the building would benefit from that resource.
Jennifer Defatte added, “John is such an amazing addition to our apartment community. Since moving in, he has always brought a positive energy and a friendly presence that everyone appreciates. John is always courteous, respectful of the property, and considerate of both site staff and neighbors. He has definitely helped to create a welcoming and pleasant environment here at our program.”
At Aspen, John continues to work toward his goal of expanding his knowledge of the world and seeking out new employment opportunities. He is determined to be a part of a valuable mission and give back to his community. On a regular basis, John connects with the staff and always brightens a room with his joy and positivity.
John concluded, “The staff here at Aspen Terrace have been awesome. Jennifer and Richard have been very supportive. From the very beginning they helped me become a productive person and I am grateful. And as for Jaclyn, my case manager, I can’t say enough of such a wonderful person who has come into my life. Jaclyn is at a level where she has my utmost respect. I couldn’t expect it out of a better person. Thank you Jaclyn – I am truly grateful.”