First Helping

Rainbow has been homeless for three months now, and for the most part has been sleeping outside on park benches. His only possessions are those he carries on his back, and he does his best to find a backpack or a sleeping bag for the night.

Even though these hardships restrain Rainbow, and often make it difficult for him to survive, he remains upbeat and friendly, a man who’s always fun to be around and has a tremendous sense of humor.

Rainbow grew up in California, went to elementary school, then high school, and received his high school diploma. When asked about his childhood, he giggled and referred to himself as “a bad kid.” Rainbow explained cheerfully that he was a bit of a trouble maker, experimenting with drugs and breaking many rules throughout high school. He seemed apologetic and certainly regretful of his teenage self, but he also said that he had a lot of fun, and his experiences taught him a lot of the world.

He lived in California at his sister’s house until 2000, when he moved to Washington D.C. He had heard that there were certain benefits here that may help him find a stable job and home. He came here and found the Anchor Mental Health Association, an agency that provided him with a residence and supervision for his mental illness. Rainbow stayed with Anchor for seven years, finding odd jobs for the first couple years, like gardening and housekeeping, and then a stable, full-time job of washing dishes at a local restaurant. He excitedly informed me that at the time he even had a bank account. He said he was happy with this position, and was doing well for himself.

Unfortunately, the company Rainbow was working for shut down, and he found himself unemployed. Struggling with a cocaine addiction that had most seriously developed in the past couple of years, and not having a job, the Anchor agency was having trouble keeping Rainbow under their care. Because he had a considerate amount of warnings and they were aware of his drug problem, they decided it was best if he were to leave the agency. Not having anywhere else to live, Rainbow had to live on the streets.

Fortunately, he resolved to cure his cocaine addiction, and now states that he has been clean since he was forced to leave. He says he is completely clean from all drugs, no more cocaine OR marijuana, and he insists he doesn’t drink anymore as well. The only addiction he says he has left is cigarettes, though he hopes to try and quit.

For the past three months Rainbow has now been looking for a place to live. He says he “needs a place to shower and a place to live and go” before he will be able to get a real job, so for now he’s working with an agency called Community Connections, which is dedicated to giving quality mental health care and offering residential services to those in need of mental health.

However, for the moment Community Connections is having trouble figuring out exactly what to do with Rainbow, and he still doesn’t have a home. He relies on Food Stamps and First Helping for his basic needs, and is incredible grateful for what First Helping has offered, but he still wishes he could find another place than outdoors to sleep. In a year, he hopes to have an apartment or small house granted to him through government benefits with the help of Community Connections and DC Central Kitchen.