Sandra S Extended Interview Transcript 

Interviewer: Can you tell me a little about yourself—whatever you feel comfortable sharing—maybe where you're from and what you enjoy doing?

Sandra: Sure. I am Sandra. I'm 55 years old, and I enjoy spending time with my dogs. I have two fur babies that keep me grounded to this earth. I love taking them to the park.

I love art. I love nature. I love gardening. There are a lot of things that I enjoy doing that I don't really get to do right now, but they're goals I'm working toward.

I'm a mother of two. I had an older daughter who passed away. Her name was Tina. I was also a grandmother, and my granddaughter Kylie passed away as well.

That's a little bit about me in a nutshell.

Interviewer: How would you describe yourself in a few words?

Sandra: I try to be friendly, but I'm very anxious anymore. I have a lot of problems with social anxiety now, when I didn't before. But I still try to be outgoing—as outgoing as I can be in that situation.

Interviewer: What was life like before you experienced homelessness?

Sandra: Well, I had what I thought was a perfect life for a while. I lived in the house that I eventually got evicted from for 19 years. I raised my family there.

I didn't realize it at the time, but I was in heaven back then. I had two healthy girls, and I thought I had a healthy granddaughter. My life was really perfect. I had everything that I wanted. We pretty much did whatever we wanted to do. I had a big family. I had a lot.

Interviewer: Were there things you loved doing or people you were close to during that time?

Sandra: Oh yes. I had a couple of best friends. We did a lot of family events. We were very involved with family.

I had a sister, a brother-in-law, nieces and nephews, and quite a few friends. I come from a long line of big families. It was really hard going from having a big family to really not having one.

Interviewer: Would you be open to sharing what led to becoming homeless?

Sandra: There were several things that led to it.

My oldest daughter had a baby. My granddaughter was born with mitral valve stenosis, a serious heart condition. She had her first open-heart surgery when she was three months old. Altogether she had three open-heart surgeries before passing away at the age of four.

The following year, I lost my daughter—her mother.

I ended up cashing out my retirement savings and 401(k) to pay for unexpected funeral expenses and related costs.

After that, one thing seemed to lead to another. My family was struggling, and eventually circumstances at home became very difficult. My mother was living with me at the time, but her dementia progressed to the point where she needed professional care.

Later, a violent incident involving my daughter's fiancé changed everything. During an argument, he physically attacked me in my home. The assault resulted in criminal charges against him.

Afterward, my daughter and her fiancé were removed from the lease. I was left alone in the home, physically injured and unable to pack or move quickly. It took me months to relocate, and ultimately I was evicted from the home I had lived in for 19 years.

I later lost my mother as well.

Eventually I found myself living day-to-day, paying for motel rooms with my income. As long as I could work, I could afford a room for the night. Then I became sick and missed work. Suddenly I had nowhere to go.

I reached a point where I felt completely hopeless and attempted to take my own life.

Thankfully, that wasn't the end of my story.

Sandra: Through the hospital and Lifeline Connections, I was connected with a peer counselor who knew someone at The Outpost.

She contacted them on my behalf. I met with Sean, and she told me, "We have to get you in here because you're going to get eaten up on the streets."

At that point, I didn't even know how to put up a tent. I truly had no idea what I was going to do.

The Outpost became my lifeline.

I spent some time in a motel while arrangements were being made, but eventually I was able to move into The Outpost. It felt like a miracle.

I thank God for that every day because I honestly don't think I would be sitting here today if that opportunity hadn't come along.

Interviewer: What were some of the challenges you faced while staying in the motel?

Sandra: The biggest challenges were basic things: doing laundry, finding food, and paying for everyday necessities.

The motel provided shelter, but you still had to figure out how to eat and take care of yourself.

We received bus passes and were able to access food assistance programs, but the biggest challenge was finding somewhere to go after the motel. That's what scared me the most.

Interviewer: What was life like while you were staying at The Outpost?

Sandra: At first I was devastated. I felt like I was living in a little metal box.

But many of the challenges I faced were things The Outpost helped me overcome. They helped with laundry. There was always food available. If you were hungry, you could cook something.

They connected people with resources and opportunities. For example, they let me know about Molecular Lab Testing, where people could earn money by participating in blood-draw studies.

Most importantly, they helped me find housing.

The hardest part for me was feeling alone. I also had to leave my dogs with my daughter for a period of time, which was incredibly difficult.

Thankfully, my dogs are back with me now, healthy and happy.

Sandra: I have one dog named Naboo. He's 15 years old now, and I've had him for about 10 years. He's the love of my life. He's my little man.

Then I adopted a second dog named Daisy. She's very sweet but extremely shy. She came from a kill shelter in Mexico and is still nervous around people and noises.

My dogs mean everything to me.

Interviewer: Was there a moment during your time at The Outpost that stands out to you?

Sandra: One thing that stands out is making a friend there.

I was lonely. This person took me under her wing and made me feel better. She made me feel loved again and reminded me that I mattered.

Having a friend during that time made a huge difference.

Interviewer: How have things changed for you since then?

Sandra: Today I'm looking for work. I have my own place, and my dogs are living with me.

I'm trying to appreciate what I have every day because I didn't always do that before.

I've regained a positive outlook. For a long time I was angry and struggling with everything that had happened. Now I can see opportunities ahead of me again.

I can see a future.

Interviewer: Was there a specific person, event, or resource that helped you move forward?

Sandra: Outsiders Inn.

Without housing, you don't have anything. You don't have a place to rest. You don't have stability. You don't have a foundation for finding work or taking care of yourself.

You need somewhere to call your own.

Housing gave me the ability to move forward.

Interviewer: What does being part of the Outsiders Inn community mean to you?

Sandra: It means everything to me.

That's one reason why I'm willing to do this interview. I want people to understand that homelessness can happen to anyone.

People often assume homelessness is only caused by addiction or substance abuse, but that's not always true. I wasn't using drugs. I wasn't drinking. Yet I still became homeless.

Without Outsiders Inn, I truly don't believe I would be here today.

Interviewer: Looking back, what are you most proud of?

Sandra: I'm proud that I was able to pull myself back up.

That little metal box at The Outpost became something I was proud of. It was safe. It gave me a chance to rebuild.

I hope more people get the same opportunity—to find housing, find work, and build a better future.

Interviewer: What are your hopes and goals for the future?

Sandra: Right now, I want to find a job.

After that, I'm considering taking classes and possibly pursuing medical coding. I've done some billing and coding work in the past.

Mostly, I want to figure out what I want to do with the years I still have ahead of me and continue building a stable, meaningful life.

Interviewer: Is there anything you want others to know about homelessness?

Sandra: It could happen to anybody.

People need mental health support. After everything I went through, I needed help too.

Counseling and medication have both been important parts of my recovery.

When I was at Outsiders Inn, I was able to stabilize my mental health and begin moving forward again.

It's still a journey, but it's one I'm continuing.

Sandra: One thing I miss about Outsiders Inn is the sense of community.

You step outside your door and people know your name. You see friends. You eat meals together. You attend meetings together.

Everyone looks out for one another.

If someone is having a bad day, people notice. Sometimes they need space. Sometimes they need a hug. Sometimes they just need someone to say hello.

The little things make the biggest difference.

When I arrived there, I felt very unloved. At Outsiders Inn, I found love, friendship, and belonging.

That's what made the difference for me.

Sandra: Right now, a lot of my time is spent applying for jobs.

When I do have free time, I take my dogs to parks and spend time outdoors. Recently I took them to Puffin Café and enjoyed sitting by the water.

I enjoy cooking, reading, and spending time with my dogs. I used to do a lot of scrapbooking, and I'd like to get back into hobbies like that someday.

I'm also looking forward to attending a Halsey concert soon.

Mostly, I'm focused on continuing to move forward and appreciating the life I've rebuilt.