On his 41st birthday this past July, Fred Washington was looking forward to spending time with family and livestreaming some video games. He was feeling fairly content, a stark contrast from where he and his family were just a few short years ago.

Struggling to provide for his children, Fred found himself bouncing around from one living situation to another, essentially living a nomadic life in places that most people wouldn’t even look at twice.

Desperate for a roof over his head, Fred learned about a vacancy through a friend. Despite the condition of the abandoned and vandalized home, Fred tried to maintain a positive outlook. Over time, he made the place livable and kept everything in working order, but each day would bring a new challenge, including the theft of air conditioners and the water heater, undependable utilities, and broken appliances. Hurricanes and other poor weather conditions eventually made leaving the house necessary.

After Fred connected with a local nonprofit to find another place to live, his situation was starting to improve. Around the same time, the pandemic was peaking and Fred was laid off from his job as a landscaper. He and his family were eventually evicted.

A heads up about Catholic Charities led to a call from Johnell Williams, director of the Bridges to Self-Sufficiency Program — a rapid re-housing program that provides rental assistance and case management services to homeless families.

“Johnell asked me to stop by her office. I poured my heart out. From that point on, Ms. Williams did everything in her power to help me and my family. I’m getting goosebumps just talking about it,” Fred said.

“She saw something in me and my kids and knew that I am a really good person. I just had a messed-up life.”

In the three years since, Johnell not only helped him find a place to live, but she also brought Christ – mas presents to the family and worked with Fred to improve his credit score. He has dreams of one day purchasing his own home on 10 acres of land in Mississippi where he can grow his own fruit and vegetables, collect rainwater, and build a pond.

But for now, Fred is simply happy to have a place for him and his children to lay their heads at night.