"SVdP believed I was worth another chance"
By Marcela Beltran
Annamarie Harris worked hard at stabilizing her life after recovering from homelessness and drug addiction, but a recent series of unexpected hardships turned her newly balanced life upside down.
When the company she worked for relocated, her job moved miles away from home. Then her car broke down, leaving her dependent on public transportation. Not long after, her health began to deteriorate and she was diagnosed with diabetes. Annamarie struggled to keep up as utility bills piled up and she had no funds to repair her car.
“I was working constantly trying to keep up with things,” Annamarie said. “It just got to the point where I just couldn't do it, and I got so physically ill.”
She was evicted and without a job before she could secure any financial assistance.
“I didn't really have any place to go,” said Annamarie.
After wandering for a while, Annamarie eventually found an abandoned trailer in Picacho, Arizona, where she began living in survival mode. Her diabetes was dangerously uncontrolled and she developed pneumonia.
“One morning, I said, ‘You know what? I'm either going to lie here and die, or I'm going to get up and start walking, so I can get somewhere where someone can help me. Either way, I'm not feeling too good right now, so if I die trying, at least I tried,’” Annamarie said.
Despite being ill, Annamarie made the journey: An eight-hour walk from Picacho to Casa Grande. Along the way, good Samaritans helped her reach a resource agency, where she was eventually connected to a shelter in Phoenix and treated for her condition.
That connection led her to St. Vincent de Paul.
Her stay at the shelter became the beginning of another chance at life. With a dedicated bed, three meals a day, hygiene facilities, case management, premium transit pass, and workforce resources, she had the stability and support she needed to begin rebuilding her life.
“I've really thought things through because I don't want to ever end up in the same situation again,” Annamarie said.
She quickly began working toward permanent housing. One of the first resources St. Vincent de Paul provided was a bike, giving Annamarie a reliable way to get to work and job interviews.
"The bike was one of the first tools that I was able to use to help me rebuild my independence,” Annamarie said. "Those acts of kindness (bike donations) are so huge to someone who's struggling."
With that support, Annamarie found a job at The Cheesecake Factory and was able to move into Rosalie’s Place, St. Vincent de Paul’s workforce housing program for individuals who are working or actively seeking full-time employment as they work toward ending their homelessness. There, she found a safe, stable place to continue working, saving, and building toward a more independent future.
With the safety and stability she found at SVdP, Annamarie began looking beyond simply getting back on her feet. She began pursuing a lifelong dream of becoming an author. She has since published multiple books filled with messages of hope, resilience, and perseverance. Through her writing, Annamarie shares pieces of her own journey and hopes her stories remind others that even in the darkest moments, there is a way forward.
Her books have also become a way for her to give back. A portion of the proceeds from her book sales are donated to SVdP, helping provide the same sense of hope and support that made a difference in her own life.
Annamarie’s desire to help others doesn’t stop with her writing. She has gotten her certification as a peer support specialist and has secured a full-time job with benefits as a Navigator 1 Housing Outreach specialist. Annamarie hopes to use her own experiences to walk alongside people facing difficult moments like the ones she once endured.
“It's beautiful to have a place like [SVdP] where you can feel safe,” Annamarie said.
After six months in SVdP’s interim housing and working hard toward her future by saving up and attending certification courses, Annamarie has reached another important milestone. With the help of her case manager, she has received rapid rehousing assistance and received the keys to her new home.
"You don't just provide resources, you remind people that they still matter, and sometimes that's the first step toward changing an entire life," Annamarie said. "I know because people did that for me, [SVdP] saw more than my mistakes."
