Deangelo's Story
We're sharing stories from our residents about what their Bellwether apartment means to them. Check back for more stories soon!
Deangelo moved to Seattle from Oklahoma. He slept on a bench outside, then moved into a homeless shelter. He didn’t like it there, so he went back to the bench. Then a man saw him sleeping outside and gave him a tent.
While he was living in a tent, Deangelo applied for a job with Swedish Medical Center First Hill. He did a video interview, where they hired him on the spot. Deangelo had previously worked as a patient transporter for a hospital in Dallas, but that job has different requirements in Seattle. So at Swedish, he started working in the Environmental Services department. He hopes to move to patient transport at some point because he still has his CPR license.
When Deangelo’s boss at Swedish found out he was sleeping in a tent, they let him sleep in a room at work and started trying to help him find housing. A Swedish staff member from the Community Health Investments team reached out to Bellwether’s partner Plymouth Housing, who then connected them with Bellwether. The Bellwether team worked with Deangelo to figure out what kind of housing he qualified for and where to apply.
We’re thrilled that Deangelo moved into The Rise on Madison on April 27! His apartment is five minutes away from his job. When asked what his apartment means to him, he said “It means a lot. A whole bunch. I love it. I’ve come a long way. I’m proud of myself.”
In addition to working at the hospital, Deangelo is also a guitarist and a singer. He takes guitar lessons online from a teacher in Oklahoma. “I’m doing some really exciting and fun stuff. I live an adventurous life. I take karate and am trying to get back in shape. I took ballet in high school, years ago. Now I’m 46. But you’re as young as you eat and exercise. I live in a big world,” said Deangelo.
Deangelo is still trying to furnish his apartment. His coworkers have given him some things and Bellwether too. “I’m a grown man. I used all my money to move into my apartment. I’ll wait until my next pay period and then buy what I want. It takes time but I’m patient,” he said. “You’ve got to learn how to adapt and survive and use what you’ve got at the moment, until you get what you really need. I’m grateful.”
For other people going through similar experiences as him, Deangelo gave this advice: “Be consistent. Don’t give up. Get a job. Be diligent in everything you do. You have to have connection with God. Save up your money. Be resourceful and, if you don’t know how to do something, find someone at an organization or library to help you.”
Please donate to support Bellwether Housing. Together, we can help our neighbors, like Deangelo, find home and build stable, thriving lives.