The Power of Your Support
Real stories of transformation from our clients, thank-yous to community partnerships, and donors who drive our mission.
Client details have been generalized and identifying information withheld to protect confidentiality. These stories are shared to demonstrate the type of challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and the impact of coordinated case management and community partnerships.
Immediate Support During a Crisis
“I was discharged from the hospital after a difficult situation and did not have income, a support system, or a clear place to go. BATS met with me, listened to what was happening, and helped me work through my immediate needs. They helped me look at possible employment, reviewed my benefits and resources, and worked with me to find a safe place to stay.”
“BATS also helped me address a legal situation that was creating additional stress. They followed up with the people involved, helped communicate what was happening, and stayed with me while the situation was being worked out. Within just a few days, I had a place to stay and a plan for what came next.”
Finding Stability After Family Loss
“I came to BATS during a very difficult time in my life. I was dealing with family loss and changes in my marriage and did not know where I could go. I had very limited income and was not sure what housing options were available to me. BATS took the time to understand my situation and helped me look at realistic options.”
“BATS found a room for me in a boarding home and helped me through the application process. They also worked with other community agencies to help secure funding and provided transportation so I could get where I needed to go. In about a week, I had a place to stay and someone continuing to help me work through the issues affecting my life.”
From Homelessness to a Lease
“I came to BATS through Code Blue after a relationship ended and I had nowhere to go. I receive SSI and also do small landscaping jobs when I can. Finding an apartment was difficult, and the application process became even harder because I was missing important documents. BATS stayed with me through the process, helping me organize my paperwork and work through each step.”
“BATS helped me keep moving forward when the process became frustrating. They contacted the apartment management, followed up when the process stalled, and even reached out to the corporate office and regional manager when needed. After several weeks of working through the problems, I was able to get everything straightened out and secure a lease.”
Rebuilding After a House Fire
“I came to BATS after a fire destroyed what I had. For several months, I was staying with family and trying to put my life back together. BATS helped me replace important documents, including my photo ID and Social Security information, so I could move forward.”
“While I was working through those issues, BATS researched apartments that were within my price range. Once the necessary documents were replaced, I was able to move forward with housing. BATS also worked with other community agencies to help with the security deposit, first month’s rent, and replacing needed furniture.”
FROM THE STREET TO STABILITY
Nearly two winters ago, during our first Code Blue emergency shelter, we met a veteran who had experienced several years of homelessness following the loss of his significant other and his home. For years, he survived by camping along the river, sleeping outside, and occasionally using his limited income for motel stays. He was also facing depression, addiction, financial hardship, and the challenges of finding housing that would accommodate his two dogs—his closest companions.
Eventually, he decided he was ready for something different. He began working closely with BATS case management, taking an active role in searching for housing and making changes in his life. Along the way, he experienced setbacks, including the loss of one of his dogs and the condemnation of a mobile home he had spent his limited resources trying to make livable. But he didn’t give up. Neither did we.
BATS eventually helped connect him with a communal home that could accommodate both him and his remaining dog. Working alongside another organization, we helped provide the resources, transportation, and support needed to make the move possible. After years of homelessness, he finally had a place to call home. And today? He’s still there.
For someone who spent years wondering where he would sleep next, that simple statement represents stability, hope, and a new beginning. His journey isn’t finished. Our goal is to continue supporting his stability and, when the time is right, help him take the next step toward greater independence.
This story reminds us why BATS exists. Homelessness is rarely caused by one problem, and finding housing is only part of the solution. Grief, mental health challenges, addiction, financial hardship, pets, transportation, and other barriers can all stand in the way of stability.
We don’t do it for people. We do it with them. Today, this veteran and his best friend aren’t sleeping along the river. They have a home. And that’s a beginning worth celebrating.
A VETERAN’S STORY OF PERSISTENCE, PARTNERSHIP, AND PROGRESS
We first met this veteran during outreach. Even while experiencing homelessness himself, he often looked out for others around him, serving as a protector and father figure to people in need. When it came to accepting help for himself, however, he was fiercely independent. For a long time, his answer was simple: “I don’t need help.”
Then the small shelter he had created for himself was destroyed, leaving him without even that limited sense of security. That was when he began asking for help. Because he was a veteran, additional resources were available. BATS helped connect him with the VA, which provided access to veteran-specific shelter and services. It wasn’t an easy transition, and he eventually returned to his home area. But people didn’t give up on him.
Local agencies and outreach workers continued checking in, making calls, and keeping him connected to available resources. Eventually, an opening became available at a local veterans facility—and this time, he agreed to go.
While there, he received medical care and began addressing health needs that had been neglected during years of homelessness. With continued support and coordination, he became more stable and connected to services. Eventually, another opportunity came along. Today, he is off the streets and living in a boarding home. Everything isn’t perfect. But progress rarely is.
Sometimes success means getting someone off the street. Sometimes it means helping them make that first doctor’s appointment. And sometimes it means waiting patiently until someone who has spent years saying, “I don’t need help,” finally says, “Okay, I’ll try.”
This journey took persistence, patience, and collaboration among the VA, veteran and housing resources, local agencies, and outreach workers.
At Berwick Area Transitional Services (BATS), we believe we can’t force someone to accept help—but we can keep the door open, keep showing up, and keep making the calls. And when someone finally says, “I’m ready,” we can be there to help.
One veteran. One journey. Many helping hands. And one less person sleeping on the streets.
SOMETIMES SUCCESS MEANS GIVING SOMEONE A BETTER FINAL CHAPTER
During our first Code Blue shelter, one of our greatest challenges was earning the trust of people experiencing homelessness. Many had been disappointed before and had learned to rely on themselves. Over time, we earned that trust.
Eventually, we were invited onto private property where several people experiencing homelessness were staying. We were there because someone was concerned about a man’s health.
We approached carefully, knowing that trust could be lost if we pushed too hard. After talking with him, he agreed to walk back to our shelter with us. Once there, our staff explained our concerns and encouraged him to get medical attention. He agreed to go.
After several days in the hospital, he returned to our Code Blue shelter, where he stayed for about two weeks. During that time, we got to know one another, and his trust in us continued to grow.
With support from Berwick Area Transitional Services, Gate House, and AGAPE, we began exploring housing options. He accepted a place at Gate House, and shortly afterward, an opening became available at a boarding home. Agape helped with his first month’s rent, and he moved into his new home.
He was no longer homeless. He was happy there and especially enjoyed the view from his new home. Sadly, about a year later, his health declined and he passed away.
We couldn’t change the outcome, but we could change the circumstances in which he lived his final chapter. He went from living in unsafe conditions and struggling with serious health concerns to receiving medical care, having a support system, and ultimately having a place he could call home.
He wasn’t alone on the streets. He had people around him. He had people looking out for him. He had a home. Sometimes success isn’t measured in years or decades. Sometimes we can’t fix everything. Sometimes success means making someone’s life better for whatever time we are given—and helping ensure their final chapter is written with greater dignity, safety, compassion, and hope.
Every person deserves someone willing to walk beside them, even when we don’t know how much of the journey is left.
A VETERAN’S JOURNEY FROM HOMELESSNESS TO HOUSING
In the summer of 2025, we heard about a veteran experiencing homelessness in the community. Other outreach workers had been trying to connect with the individual, so we simply shared a message: “If you see this person, send them my way.”
One weekend, the veteran walked into our office looking for help. What was especially meaningful was how they found us—other people experiencing homelessness had told them where to go.
We sat down and talked about what had happened.
The veteran had recently been housed but was struggling with rising rent. After being offered what appeared to be another housing opportunity, the veteran traveled with cash to meet the person offering the apartment. Instead, the person disappeared with the money, leaving the veteran stranded and without the resources needed to maintain housing.
Eventually, the veteran returned home but, believing there were few options available, left the apartment rather than face an eviction. Now, they were homeless.
Instead of focusing on what had gone wrong, we focused on what could come next. We provided housing contacts and referrals, and the veteran began making calls. One of those calls led to an available room in a local boarding home.
There was just one problem: the veteran needed transportation to see the property, and our office was busy with other clients. Then the landlord offered a solution: “I’ll come pick them up.”
And that’s exactly what happened. The landlord came to our office, met the veteran, and helped make the connection to housing.
The veteran moved in—and remains housed there today. This was one of the fastest transitions from homelessness to housing we’ve experienced, but the story demonstrates something bigger:
LANDLORDS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION
Addressing homelessness takes more than programs and funding. It takes outreach workers, case managers, community organizations, landlords, and people willing to work together. Sometimes the difference is simply knowing the right person, having an available room, and being willing to make a connection.
That day, a veteran walked into an office looking for help. A landlord answered a phone call. And before the day was over, there was a path back to housing.
That’s what community collaboration can accomplish.