Matthew was born and raised in Tucson. Working has always been important to him. He started with jobs in the grocery business for 11 years and then worked as a certified caregiver in nursing homes, where he spent 22 years. He has always enjoyed this career because it provided him with steady employment and satisfaction in helping other people.

“[I like] that you can be useful to other people,” he says. “I make a difference and make things better for the people I care for.”

In spite of his caring nature, Matthew developed a substance use disorder which caused him to experience psychosis and lose his job. With no income, he was unable to pay his rent and was evicted from his apartment. He lost his car, his driver’s license, and eventually lost his relationship with his two sisters. Experiencing homelessness and a substance use disorder with no one to turn to, Matthew had lost hope and didn’t think it would be possible to turn his life around.

“I was just getting into a dark place where nothing seemed like it was going to work for any reason, and I gave up,” he says, remembering this challenging time in his life.

Things began to change about a year ago when Matthew got himself on the path to recovery from his drug addiction. He was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and began receiving treatment to manage that diagnosis.

In March 2023, Matthew found the Gospel Rescue Mission (GRM). GRM is an organization that provides shelter, recovery, employment, housing, and outreach programs for people experiencing homelessness. Matthew entered the organization’s Workforce Development Program where he was provided shelter, food, and counseling, and he began working with Beacon Group Employment Specialist, Stacey Feinsilver. Beacon has built a partnership with GRM where Employment Specialists like Stacey meet with Workforce Development guests on-site at the Gospel Rescue Mission’s Center for Opportunity. Beacon Group Employment Specialists help guests with developing their vocational skills, preparing for employment, and applying for jobs.

Stacey helped Matthew navigate the ins and outs of putting together a resume and applying for jobs online. As Matthew puts it, Stacey “saved me from what I don’t think I could have done for myself.”

While working with him on finding a job, Stacey also got Matthew started in Beacon’s Work Adjustment Training (WAT) program, an on-the-job training program where participants who have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time can hone soft skills and work behaviors while working alongside a Job Coach. During WAT, Matthew worked at the reception desk at Beacon Group. He says many aspects of the job intimidated him and he struggled with some tasks, but his job coaches motivated him to continue.

“The job coaches [Angela Soto, Yuvennice Caraveo, and Carolyn Rusing] literally allowed me to feel comfortable in the workplace again after almost two years of not working,” he says.

The motivation paid off and two months into the WAT program, Matthew landed a job as an in-home care provider and shortly after, a second job at a nursing home as a certified caregiver. With Stacey’s guidance, Matthew got his driver’s license back and recently moved into his own apartment. His outlook on life shifted from one of hopelessness to one of positivity and anticipation for the next steps in his journey.

Stacey says many people she works with at Gospel Rescue Mission, like Matthew, are at such a hard place in their lives that they may not know where or how to even begin to turn things around. On top of that, many are experiencing mental health challenges which make navigating aspects of life that much harder.

As a certified Peer Support Specialist, Stacey goes beyond helping people find a job. She supports them with important personal needs like getting a driver’s license, opening a bank account, and securing shelter. Once these essentials fall in line, a person can regain stability and confidence in themselves which better positions them to look for and maintain employment. These extra aids may seem small to some, but they can make all the difference.

Matthew says he’s incredibly grateful for the help he received from Beacon Group and he hopes to “pay it forward” to anyone he meets who is in need of assistance. And when asked about his goals for the future he says, simply “I want to just be able to be healthy and useful in this world, and that’s really all that matters to me.”