Richard

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Richard, now 56, was born in Jamaica before moving to the United States at an early age. Like many immigrants, Richard was under-documented – he was here legally, but had lost his green card and other forms of identification, making it nearly impossible to move forward.

Without hope and without documentation, Richard lived on the streets for over 5 years.

Fortunately, Richard was approached by BRC's MTA outreach team, and admitted to our Reception Center in 2014. Richard was guided through the many stumbling blocks and hurdles of receiving a new green card, with which he immediately was able to apply for public assistance.

During his wait for housing, Richard made the most of his time at BRC.

He was a very active member of the community, including serving as BRC’s Client Advisory Board Representative, participating in the Green Team, and attending Art Therapy regularly.

Once his documents and income were secured, and with the help and support of staff, Richard was able to submit a housing application, which was accepted in July of 2016. Now, just three years after first coming to BRC, Richard has moved out of our shelter and into permanent housing.

When asked about his experience at Reception Center, Richard said it was, “exciting and a period of learning different things and appreciating the details of life. Being able to have a bed and roof over your head was one of the major accomplishments. The staff works hard…and they do their best to improve the lives of so many people.”

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