With the help of C-HRT, Daniel succeeds in his ambitions. October 2025.
When times are tough, it often feels as if we are swimming through crashing waves, barely staying afloat. Making it through rough water – something everyone faces in one form or another – is a lot easier with a boat and people to help you paddle through. That’s what Daniel found at ECS Community Harm Reduction Team (C-HRT) Safe Haven.
Daniel, a C-HRT resident for just over two years, faced unexpected challenges after leaving prison, despite working hard to turn his life around. He engaged in self-help work, rehabilitation, and began the journey toward getting his degree. He was told by his parents that because he worked for a fresh start, he could move back home.
However, Daniel’s introduction back into society was not as seamless as he had hoped. His parents changed their minds, and Daniel was left with no clear direction on what to do next.
He described the situation as frustrating. “It was a feeling of a rug being pulled from under me,” Daniel said. “I wasn’t supposed to be homeless.”
Daniel is a self-described problem solver. He recalled thinking, “‘This can't be it. There has to be a solution... There has to be a better outcome.’”
His sister did what she could to help and bought Daniel a hotel room for a few days so he could find a solution. “I put in so much work going to college while incarcerated, doing self-help, and working on my rehabilitation and sobriety that I wasn't going to allow going back to the street to trigger me and then compromise my rehabilitation,” he said.
He contacted someone at Alpha Project and was offered a spot. Daniel had somewhere off of the streets to stay, but it was difficult to continue his education and rehabilitation in that environment. Thankfully, about a year later, Daniel received an opportunity to move to ECS C-HRT Safe Haven.
The living-style of C-HRT provides comfort, safety, and freedom for residents. *March 2024.
“They said it was more apartment-like. It was closer to living in your own space,” Daniel said. The idea of privacy and increased safety pushed Daniel to quickly accept the offer. He shared that it’s the little things like free hygiene items and space to store his belongings that make a huge difference.
When Daniel moved to C-HRT, he was ready to hit the ground running and pursue his goals, no matter how hard he had to work. “I had nonstop interviews, nonstop resume building. I was going to class, going to school, learning trig,” he said.
While Daniel did not have excessive down time while at C-HRT, the time he did get to spend at the program was spent meaningfully with the staff and other residents. Before C-HRT, “I might have been smiling all the time, but I didn't really have a social life,” Daniel shared. “I still struggle with social interactions. But this place – being so close in cohabitation – allowed me to learn.”
One of the best places for community and support Daniel found was a bible study led by C-HRT program manager Taliea Burton. “We started going to [Pacific Beach] right there on the water and reading scripture,” Daniel said. “Spirituality is a big part of my life… It's kind of nice to get close to those people and bond over that.”
Daniel described C-HRT as a tool and a steppingstone. It allowed him the safety and support needed to succeed. When asked what his journey may have looked like without C-HRT, Daniel responded, “It would have been harder. I think I would have swam. I would have built a boat. But it would have been definitely like fighting against the current. It would have felt like I had my head barely above the water.” C-HRT helped Daniel build a sturdy boat that could carry him over the waves. Now, he is living independently in his own apartment, working, and studying computer science in school. He is currently projected to graduate in the Fall of 2026 with plans to further his studies at San Diego State University.
Daniel used C-HRT as a stepping stone to a brighter future. October 2025.
C-HRT was a much-needed steppingstone along Daniel’s path. “It's a step forward in the right direction. We're all going to have bad moments. It's up to you to see through that and get the help you need,” he said. “Use this place for what they're offering it to be used for. It's your own shower, your own bathroom... rest easy and know that you get to wake up and go find a job or work hard and come home to a safe place to put your head down.”
C-HRT Safe Haven is transitional housing for individuals living with chronic substance use conditions. To learn more about the work of C-HRT Safe Haven, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/c-hrtsafehaven.
*Caption dates may not be exact.
