Still, Alice was resourceful. After a difficult night spent sleeping on the trolley for safety, she took action. Alice was able to access her savings, acquire Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and through those funds, complete her associate in accounting. Finally, her life was back on track. Until she was hit with yet another breakdown. “I'm good when I'm good and then I'm not when I'm not,” she said.
After that, Alice lost her SSDI and hopped from one job to the next between breakdowns. “I was so unstable,” she said. After a particularly bad breakdown, she returned to her parents’ house only to learn that her brother-in-law, in an effort to keep Alice and her breakdowns at bay, had obtained a restraining order against Alice with both of her parents listed on it. She violated the restraining order in a state of psychosis and promptly turned herself in.
After five challenging months in jail, Alice was released and placed in an independent living facility where she began psychiatric therapy. “I learned how to identify my mental illness, which is something I never knew before,” Alice said. “I learned how to calm it down; I learned how to overcome the mental illness.” Alice practiced techniques and found a better medication plan to help manage her symptoms. “I was impressed because everything was working. It wasn't panic attack, hospital, you know, it was panic attack, grounding techniques, medication, back on track,” she said. “It was a whole different path than what I was used to.”
While at the independent living facility, Alice got a new job. However, as her hours increased during the holiday rush, she was told she no longer qualified for free housing with that program, and the rent was more expensive than what she could afford. Just as she felt hope dissipating again, she learned about an opportunity to move to transitional housing at Uptown Safe Haven.
Life changed for Alice after moving to UTSH. She continued therapy, managing her mental illness more day by day, and participated in support groups led by Keith, an UTSH staff member. The staff offered her continuous support and kindness. “The staff is so nice to me. I mean they’re the best,” Alice said. “I realized that not all people are bad. There are people who are good, there are people who understand, there are people who work with you to make it better for you. And that's what I found here.”
Alice praises the compassion of the staff, but their admiration for her thoughtfulness shines just as bright. Alice frequently goes above and beyond her mandatory chores, ensuring that the facility is in perfect condition for her fellow residents and she volunteers with Voices of Our City Choir. But the kindness that Alice is perhaps best known for is her birthday cake tradition.
