A New Way Forward: Troy’s Story

December 5, 2024

Troy worries about his parents. They’re aging and a little unsteady on their feet, so he keeps an eye on them and sends what he can to help out. He’d like to do more, but for now, he’s glad he can contribute and step up when needed.

But it wasn’t always this way.

“They didn’t want to see me,” he says. “No one in my family wanted to see me—and I don’t blame them.”

Troy grew up in San Francisco, the oldest of four kids. His Lakeview neighborhood had mostly quiet, single-family homes at the time, but his own home-life was unsettled. “My mom had her struggles, and I’d leave the house and ride buses all over the City when I could get away,” Troy remembers.

That independent streak is a survival response for many children, but it can make asking for help difficult as an adult. After years of addiction, criminal justice involvement, and instability, Troy wanted a different life, but the path to get there was formidable. Old habits and history had a hold on his best intentions. He had lost his job, his home and his children, and the odds of turning things around were not in his favor.

“I had tried other programs, but it wasn’t enough. That changed when I was referred to the recovery and companion programs at St. Anthony’s,” says Troy.

In the Companionship Program, a dedicated staff with lived experience partners for several years with people in St. Anthony’s Fr. Alfred Center, a residential recovery program. Companions offer one-to-one support, guidance and coaching throughout the tough journey from a life on the streets to one of stability and renewal.

For Troy, this means daily check-ins with his companion, Wayne, who he sees as a coach, counselor and a friend who’s been where he’s been, and understands the hills, valleys, and realities of building a new life. 

When I first sat down with Wayne, it never felt like he was high-handed or controlling. It was more like we were in this together, and he asked me, “Ok, what are we going to do?” We talked about my goals and how to make progress on them. I could see a new way forward for the first time in a long, long time.

Wayne knows firsthand what it’s like to try and recover without support. He openly shares his journey through relapse to the clean and sober man he is today because of the people and programs at St. Anthony’s. He remembers hearing that St. Anthony’s was “…a place to get your whole life together.”

“I thought it was a fantasy,” he says, “but it’s true.” He says he had some old ideas about getting help, but people reached out with compassion and direction along with the resources that he says saved his life.

What Wayne and the Companionship Program offer in support is unique in both duration and the wide range of services that he can connect people to at St. Anthony’s.

From health care and job preparation to regular recovery meetings and check-ins, Wayne and Troy have set up a plan and a structure that keeps Troy balanced and focused as he walks the road to a better life, no longer alone.

The Companionship model of care has not gone unnoticed. In fact, judges who are aware of the program’s impact see St. Anthony’s Father Alfred Center and Companionship programs as an alternative to imprisonment, giving many individuals a chance to start a new life, breaking the cycle of addiction and incarceration.

Relying primarily on private support from caring donors, St. Anthony’s has the flexibility to create unique, evidence-based programs that not only innovate but also lead the way in making a meaningful impact on both individuals and the community. This approach allows for a quicker, more effective response to evolving challenges, providing services that foster lasting change and hope for every guest on the path to stability. We have seen the benefit of this fundraising model as it has allowed St. Anthony’s to quickly respond to community need. When we noticed the difficulty guests were having transitioning back into the community after a year in our residential recovery program, we created the Companionship program to bridge that gap and help guests maintain long-term stability. Community surveys showed that nearly 1 out of 3 St. Anthony’s guests did not have reliable access to showers and laundry, and St. Anthony’s responded by launching our Hygiene Hub in 2021, which served 2,158 people in 2024.

Life reaches beyond the walls for Troy today. He is learning new ways to cope and stay healthy. His referral for mental health support has given him a deeper look at his past while helping him develop the tools and resilience to handle any future bumps in the road. His relationship with his children and their mom has begun to turn around, and he says he’s an asset to his family these days.

“My kids—they call me now,” Troy says, shaking his head with a smile, “and I’m there for them, just like St. Anthony’s is there for me.”