What do you call someone who is working full-time, attending school part-time and taking care of his commitments?  At the South Baltimore Homeless station, we call it a success! Andre Speaks, a former resident at the South Baltimore Station, is that success.  Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with Andre about where he is in life now and reflecting on how far he has come. Please allow me to share this experience and conversation with you…

It was a Monday night and Andre agreed to have dinner with me at a little restaurant in South Baltimore to “tell me his story”.   When I arrived, Andre was standing there with a backpack slung over his shoulder and a big smile on his face. I remember him well from his days at the Station. Always hopeful and positive, yet realistic, and willing to give anyone a bear hug. Soon after we sat down for dinner, Andre whisked me away into the story of his life. It was a journey that traveled through some real low valleys, but always managed to reach some high peaks.

Being born to an incarcerated mother, Andre was raised for a few years by his grandmother, but was taken into the State's custody prior to entering elementary school.   Over the next dozen years, Andre bounced between different institutions within and outside his home state of Ohio.  Longing for love and acceptance, he began to rebel and resent people when he did not receive what he, like every human being, so desperately yearned for. “I wanted a home, but didn't know what home was,” recalls Andre.  With his strong desire to fit in, he began drinking and smoking to win friends and “be cool” at the inexperienced age of 10.  Even with his bad habits continuing into his teenage years, Andre was able to complete high school and gain admission into a small college in Nebraska on an athletic scholarship. With even greater freedom, Andre dove deeper into the party scene and eventually failed out of school. Barely 20 years old and with no where to turn, Andre figured the military would be the next phase of his journey. He was wrong. Having failed the drug test to enter the service, Andre was at a turning point. His life could continue down the same path of abuse and poor choices or he could make steps of positive change.

During the next several months, Andre entered a drug treatment program in Ohio and got clean and sober for the first time. Remembering his drinking problem, Andre said, “For me not to drink was like holding my breath.” With his new life and “oxygen”, Andre worked for a few years, but eventually fell back into drinking, using illegal drugs and homelessness.  Through a series of events, Andre made his way to Baltimore and the South Baltimore Homeless station in the summer of 1999.

For 14 months Andre used the resources available at the station to make a change in his life.  “The reason I stayed [at the station] is that I was beat,” reflects Andre.  “I worked the 12 steps, took responsibility for my actions and stopped blaming my mother and grandmother for all my problems. I attended STRIVE's job training program called Dress for Success and soon got a job working for a temp agency.”  Eventually, he landed a permanent position with a small company doing bookkeeping, a skill he learned back in high school.  Showing tremendous desire and fortitude to succeed, Andre was taken under the wings of the office manager at the small company where he worked. She mentored him in all aspects of office management and became like a surrogate mother to him. Andre was on one of the high peaks. But several months later, bad news came his way again. His mentor was diagnosed with cancer and, soon afterward, passed away. Even with the tragedy, Andre remained focused and dealt with his grief in a constructive fashion.  He did not lean on his old habits to deal with his pain and for the first time, “…I realized I was doing what God wanted me to do.”  Today, Andre now holds his mentor's job, is enrolled at the University of Baltimore to earn a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and is living in the Oxford House, a supportive housing unit, in Charles Village.

Nearing the end of our dinner, I asked Andre a question that always intrigues me - why the South Baltimore Homeless station? What was different about our program versus others? With his infamous smile and a slight chuckle, he replied, “Not that I want to make his head swell, but it was Woody's real-life counseling approach. He and the other counselors can tailor the program to the needs of the individual and that makes all the difference in the world.”

With his story in my head and great hope for him in my heart, we left the little restaurant in South Baltimore. Before saying goodbye, Andre asked me, “Do you think I could come down and cook breakfast for the guys some Saturday morning?  I'd like to help out and offer them some encouragement.” 

I smiled and thought…now that's what I call success!

- Melanie Fresh

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