Meet Ken.
Like all our guests here at The Mustard Seed, his story is unique.
Ken was married and worked in Vancouver and Calgary’s financial sectors for over 20 years. He had social connections and a sense of community. All seemed to be “on track” and doing well until he experienced his fair share of loss.
Within a short period of time, he suffered through four traumatic events:
- the death of his mother,
- the unexpected loss of his job,
- the loss of his social network (co-workers),
- and the dissolution of his marriage resulting in a divorce.
This was a dark period for Ken. His social circles and community dissolved alongside his marriage, and he no longer felt a sense of security. This ultimately was the cause to his breakdown, subsequently placing him in a state of homelessness. Depression and alcohol began to take over.
It was some time during those days that Ken decided he wanted a new beginning. He had heard of The Mustard Seed and was seeking a sober-living environment.
“When I was really down and ready to sit in front of a (moving) train, two Mustard Seed staff immediately came when I called for help. They sat and talked with me and took me to get physical and psychological attention,” he told us. “Their kindness has always stuck with me.”
Today, we’re happy to say Ken has found his new beginning.
He is a resident of the 1010 Centre downtown and has been a part of our Permanent Supportive Housing program since 2013. We are proud to say he successfully found meaningful employment thanks to one of our Employment Coaches and has become an avid volunteer within our Donor Relations, as well as Volunteer Services departments.
For many of our guests, often a single breakdown of a structural, relational, or systematic factor can cause a person to experience homelessness. In Ken’s case, he faced four and chose not to give up. Instead, he chose to hit refresh on his life – he chose to build hope.
