For this week’s The Other Side Story, we’d like to introduce you to Bruce. Five years ago, Bruce left Florida and moved to Iowa to be with his sister. When she passed away, Bruce not only lost his loved one but also his home.
Bruce found his way to CISS four years ago. He recently hit a personal milestone and transitioned from the emergency shelter into CISS’ efficiency apartments six months ago. When asked what it was like to move upstairs, he replied, “It’s like my own kingdom.”
At that time, he also enrolled in the janitorial job training program and has really enjoyed working with his supervisor, Karen. It’s easy to engage in “trouble,” as Bruce calls it when one is homeless. A major turning point for him was his committed decision to avoid those environments. He wants to help others, but he knows he can’t do that if he doesn’t help himself first.
Bruce looks forward to the future. He plans to move into his own apartment, continue to work with Karen, and eventually open his own cleaning business. He has a college education and years of experience in custodial services to help him reach this goal.
In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, challenging friends to a game of ping pong, and playing arcade games like Donkey Kong.
Bruce wants other people in difficult situations to know that, “Life is what you make it. You have the choice of what path you head down next.”
#TheOtherSide
