Kevin* first walked into our Basis Sunderland drop-in last Autumn. He’d been rough sleeping in a tent for three months by then.
Kevin, originally from Pembridge, had moved up to Sunderland with his partner who was pregnant. Sadly the relationship ended and, with nowhere else to stay, Kevin found himself on the streets. He wanted to stay in the area, nearby, for his child – especially after his own childhood, which was incredibly difficult and spent in care due to his mother’s drug usage.
Kevin heard about Oasis Community Housing’s Basis Sunderland drop-in from someone else who comes to the drop-in for support.
“I burst out crying when I first came, I got hot food and a warm coat,” says Kevin, who was also able to shower and get support with finding accommodation.
The team at Basis Sunderland signposted Kevin in the direction of a number of other services that could offer support, including one that paid his flat deposit and another to provide recovery support for his alcohol dependency.
Housed in his new flat, we didn’t see Kevin for a few months – until his shower broke. Kevin knew that help was just around the corner and he popped back into Basis Sunderland. There, he was able to use the shower and also receive support with getting his one fixed.
Commenting on the difference between Basis Sunderland and other places Kevin had gone for support, he said “The energy of the people who helped me; Dave and Krystal felt so warm and provided a lot of care.
“It felt like Basis was the one constant in my life. They were the only ones who were really there for me.”
Given the journey Kevin has been on, he says he’s feeling ‘on the way up’. And gets so much joy from getting to see his child.
Want to help someone like Kevin? You can sign up today, to make a one-off donation or give a small monthly gift over on our Donate page. Thank you.
* Name has been changed for anonymity and privacy