Formerly Homeless Youth Shares His Story of Overcoming Homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently introduced the latest story in the “Humans of HUD” campaign, which features photos and videos depicting stories of individuals who have overcome hardships with assistance from HUD.

Benjamin Franklin, a resident of San Antonio, Texas, shares his hard journey in foster care, experiencing homelessness and how he overcame it all with help from a local HUD-funded Continuum of Care (CoC) program.

“Homelessness isn’t a look or a stigma, “said Benjamin. “Homelessness is a state of being. Not everybody who is homeless knows they can do something about it.”

“When I was first there [Thrive], I was transitioning from having nothing to at least having a bed to sleep on,” Franklin added. “They helped me with clothing, they helped me with food. There isn’t anything they don’t cover. The main thing they helped me with is to give me the hope that I can actually do something.”

In January, HUD awarded nearly $2.2 billion in CoC funding to provide critical support to local homeless programs across the country.

Humans of HUD is a photoblog and videoblog dedicated to documenting the journeys of people who are impacted by the Department’s programs and services. The inspiring collection of photos and stories are part of an ongoing, intimate conversation with everyday Americans who are working to overcome challenges such as homelessness, drug addiction, or natural disasters. Individuals interested in sharing their story with Humans of HUD can submit a request to HumansofHUD@hud.gov.

Through this series of personal portraits and interviews, HUD has created a window into the lives of America’s most vulnerable populations. The series is a recurring feature.