Marie was living with cousins when they lost their house to foreclosure. Without the stability of a home, Marie felt at risk of slipping back into the life of drugs that she had kicked two years before. Harris stayed with friends and in shelters before learning about Aeon’s affordable apartments. She moved into Paige Hall, maintained her sobriety and even organized a food shelf to help her neighbors in need. “I love the family type atmosphere here,” she says.

Transience was the hallmark of Patience’s childhood home experience—shuttled between shelters, family and friends—until age17, when she was forced out on her own. Patience turned to St. Barnabas apartments, an Aeon property for homeless youth, for help. Today, she’s in college and working part-time. St. Barnabas is where Patience relaxes without worry, where the comforts of home—hard won—are hers.

When Tonya re-mortgaged her house to buy a scooter for her MS, she never imagined it would lead to becoming homeless. “I lost our home to foreclosure,” she explains, “I felt ashamed, like I should have known better.” After being approved for a housing subsidy, Tonya moved into Ripley Gardens. “Home provides comfort, safety, a haven,” says Tonya. “Ripley Gardens helped my daughter and I get to a stable place where we can dream about our future again.”