Dennis' Story

“I’ve been homeless on and off for years now. Most recently, on November 16th, 2016 my fiance left and took half the income. On November 15th, 2017 I lost my apartment because I couldn’t pay the rent, and that started off me being homeless in this area. And here I am trying to rebuild my life after everything went to shit. I suffer from PTSD and chronic anxiety. When I have anxiety attacks and things like that, it comes down to the proper facilities. If I had a shower that I could take and bring myself down from the attack, it would be a lot easier, but out here I have to muscle through it and it’s really hard, you know, really hard.

Not all of us are bad people, most of us are citizens like me and you. We’re just trying to get by doing the best we can with what we’ve got. Just like you guys, working with what you have. We are people, we shop, we eat, we do the same things just like you do. The only difference is, you’ve got a roof over your head and we don’t, or we have a makeshift roof over our head, I could say. But that’s my message. We’re people.

Home is a place where you can settle, feel safe, not have to worry about anything, not necessarily a house. Right now I’m in my tent and I feel safe. I’ve lived in tents before.

Electricity doesn't bother me, because technology these days allows us to run on battery power, as you well know. The only thing we’re missing are the facilities to do the proper things like anybody else would.

I miss the facilities, and being able to go to my room if I need to go to my room. I have my music, a big collection of music. I collect button-down shirts with different designs on them. And I have my hat. My faith is in the Rastafarian culture, that is my spirituality. That’s why I wear the hat.

I live out on the creek in a tent that is big enough for me and my dog. The only difference between you and me is that I have a canvas over my head and you have a roof.”