Five people describe experiences of homelessness, including loss, abuse, addiction, and day-to-day survival, in a campaign by CCID that asks what it takes to leave the streets. The accounts focus on how people endure extreme instability and what steps they identify as necessary to move toward more stable lives.
Across the shared narratives, the emphasis is on personal journeys and the hope of rebuilding. The campaign frames homelessness as a situation shaped by multiple factors—such as trauma, substance dependence, and unsafe circumstances—rather than a single cause. It also highlights that leaving the streets often requires more than temporary shelter, pointing to longer-term support and sustained opportunities. The specific details of each person’s pathway differ, reflecting different starting points and barriers to recovery, but they converge on a common theme: the expectation that the situation is not permanent.
