The Park View Experience: A First-hand Account about Recovering from Homelessness

By Edwin A. Mendoza

I arrived at the doors of the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) in June of 2006.  This came at the heels of my most recent homeless experience.  Immediately, I was integrated into the renovation process of the facility, including the Transitional Housing Project, of which I was a participant.  Since then, I have been included in every project that FASGI has undertaken, including the current FilVote 2008, Open Health Diabetes Project, and other Outreach Programs, like the Food Distribution Program.  Along the way, however, I’ve also been able to establish permanent housing, receive my Degree in International Relations at the University of Southern California and provide for my two-year old daughter.

There have many hardships along the way, including challenges which almost compromised my freedom, but I now have seen the full maturity of proposals that were introduced to me when I arrived, and am currently playing a more role in the day to day functions of this establishment.

Although I came here out of sheer desperation because of my financial situation at the time, I am nonetheless grateful that FASGI was able to have the doors open for someone in need, such as myself.  By the same token, FASGI has helped me to become more productive, and include me in their plans for the future.  FilVote 2008 is inspiring to become a Citizen.  Holistic health programs, like Open Health, keep me posted on personal maintenance and management.  And, I get a chance to work alongside volunteers who currently are part of, or have completed the Transitional Housing process.

Conditions as they are in the United States, I see myself contributing to society as a volunteer at FASGI.  I do hope to one become a Citizen of this country, and become fully self-sufficient and autonomous, but, I am more than happy to be of service here at FASGI.  While the economy recovers from unemployment, a financial crisis, and conflicts present by Deficit Spending, the services rendered by non-profits such as FASGI become all the more indispensable.  I, for one, would have had a difficult time improving my life had it not been for the support extended by FASGI.