A Special Reunion

Eleven years ago, while sleeping in a parked car, Gary MacDonald was awoken by a knock on his window. Vaughn McKoy, a young, up and coming attorney at the time, brought Gary to his church, where he was able to access services, food and emergency shelter. Thus began Gary’s eleven years cycling in and out of shelters, treatment programs, hospitals and life on the street.

On April 15th, 2008 Gary was handed a key to his new studio apartment in the Birch Arms apartment building operated by New Jersey Community Development Corporation. Not able to believe his good fortune, and incredibly grateful for this opportunity, Gary walked around the apartment in awe, touching every wall, item, and furnishing provided to him. To Gary, one of the best things about this apartment was the fact that he had his own bathroom. For someone who couldn’t remember the last time that he was able to take a shower by himself, a private bathroom was an amazing gift.

Nine months later, Gary has obtained and continues to hold a full-time job working for the City of Paterson Department of Public Works. Additionally, he remains sober, quit smoking, opened a savings account and has reunited with a family who had written him off due to his alcoholic past. He has even recently applied to and been accepted by Colorado Technical University’s online Criminal Justice Program.

Unbeknownst to Gary or Vaughn, they would both meet again. It was at NJCDC’s anniversary dinner in October of 2008. This time, Gary was well dressed, employed, sober, and a special guest of NJCDC at the annual dinner, and Vaughn, now Director of Customer Services and Community Relations for PSE&G, was speaking at the dinner as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of New Jersey Community Development Corporation.

The housing and services provided to Gary cost NJCDC less than $20,000 a year. Estimates from across the country indicate that chronically homeless individuals cycling in and out of public systems, shelters, hospitals, and jails cost on average at least $25,000 per year. At a savings of $5,000 a year, we have been able to provide Gary with the opportunity to turn his life around. When you add in costs of emergency medical care and other services that the homeless often require, the savings are much more substantial.

Gary is just one of the fifteen residents at Birch Arms, all of whom have equally compelling stories.

There are an estimated 200 chronically homeless individuals who live in shelters, on the street, under bridges, in cars and in parks throughout Passaic County. It is our hope that, with continued funding, we can do our part to work to end chronic homeless by providing more individuals like Gary the opportunity to turn their lives around.