Joseph was born and raised in Culpeper. Joseph didn’t always have it easy growing up – his mother passed away when he was very young, and he was raised by his grandmother. Throughout his adolescence he found himself getting into trouble. He struggled with alcohol abuse at a young age and even spent time in jail later in life.

Eventually, Joseph got back on the right track and was doing well. He was living in Culpeper, doing electrical and plumbing work, and was no longer struggling with alcohol abuse. He was renting a home in the area and was saving up, dreaming about becoming a homeowner someday. That’s when things took a turn for the worse.

A family member who struggles with alcohol abuse robbed him of the savings he was accumulating to buy his own house. Left without savings, Joseph struggled to pay his rent. He had no other family to turn to. In 2019, Joseph found himself homeless.

Joseph encountered some health issues while homeless, struggling with vascular disease. In 2020, his leg was amputated. With a new disability to contend with, work was no longer an option for Joseph. “You never expect nothing like that to happen,” said Joseph.

He was able to temporarily live in an outpatient physical therapy facility as he worked through his new disability, but Joseph knew it was not a permanent solution. Joseph had been homeless for about three years when he connected with People Incorporated’s permanent supportive housing services in Culpeper. This service helps individuals without housing find affordable housing assistance and access benefits that help them achieve financial stability with the goal of breaking the cycle of homelessness.

With People Incorporated’s assistance, Joseph was placed into Culpeper Crossing in 2022. Culpeper Crossing is one of the agency’s recently rehabilitated affordable housing properties. Renovations and rehabilitation on the apartment complex were completed in 2021 and the property has since taken on a new life. Today, the apartment complex provides safe and affordable housing to 28 families, including Joseph.

Joseph has loved his experience living in Culpeper Crossing. His friends and neighbors tease him about how meticulously clean Joseph keeps his new apartment, and he takes pride in having his own space. The property’s close access to local stores helps Joseph easily get wherever he needs to go, even with his disability.

Despite the challenges Joseph has faced in recent years, he remains thankful for the help of People Incorporated and feels optimistic about his future. “When you hit rock bottom, it takes a while to get back up,” said Joseph. “But I pulled myself back up and kept moving . . . I got a roof over my head, I ain’t hungry, I’m good. You have to be thankful and I am.”