Originally from Iowa, Matt’s profession led him to Oregon, where there was a promise of better wages. However, high rental costs led to him living out of his truck. He eventually moved to Oklahoma, where he experienced homelessness once again, so he returned to Iowa to be closer to his family.
Matt was at the Bethel Mission, but his sister could see that Matt needed a solution that also improved his situation, so she connected him with CISS. He entered the emergency shelter in November of 2021, where he would remain for over three months. One day, he received a call from Kim, his Section 8 case manager. She had good news; an apartment was available and waiting for him. It felt surreal for Matt.
He signed the papers and moved into his new apartment in March 2022, but even then, he kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. He couldn’t believe that this housing was available to him, because it felt too good to be true.
As of now, Matt doesn’t have any specific plans, but he knows he wants to stay in Iowa and find permanent housing. He wants people to know that not everyone experiencing homelessness is a “drug addict or an alcoholic.” He credits CISS for getting him out of the cold and introducing him to new friends. He enjoys being outside in nature, fishing, hunting, and going camping.
#TheOtherSide
