My Journey Through Homelessness

I am the current face of homelessness in Bend and Central Oregon. I am 67 years old, highly educated and without a place to live. Thankfully, I found Shepherd’s House Ministries Lighthouse – a shelter for the homeless in Bend. Initially, it began as the 2nd Street Shelter as a low-barrier emergency shelter in June 2021. Later that year, $2.5 million was provided by the State of Oregon from House Bill 2006 and $1.4 million through money allocated to the City of Bend from the American Rescue Plan Act (The Source Weekly, July 13, 2022) to provide a more comprehensive center. In June of 2022 it transitioned into a more comprehensive Navigation Center. The City of Bend provides money annually from its general fund to operate the shelter.

The Lighthouse is a low-barrier shelter. Residents are here for one of three reasons: mental health challenges, substance abuse, or a lack of financial resources. I fall into the third category. I am semi-retired and for the last four years I substitute taught in the Bend/LaPine, Redmond, and Sisters school districts and it provided a steady income. For the last two years I have collected Social Security. Unfortunately, I have been without my car for the last seven months because I have been unable to pay a large repair bill. This has negatively impacted my ability to substitute teach on a regular basis. And so, I found myself unable to find an affordable place to live. For two weeks I stayed with two different friends. However, staying longer than a week can damage a friendship.

My experience at the shelter opened my eyes to who is impacted by the high cost of living in Bend. Let me dispel some myths surrounding the homeless population. There are people of all ages and backgrounds. Some, like me, are highly educated and had a successful career or careers. It is a mix of blue collar and white collar workers. According to Apartments.com, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Bend is $1,430. In addition, the cost of groceries has risen. Over the last two decades the median price for a single home in Bend has increased from $150,000 in 1997 to $700,000 at the beginning of 2026 (The Bulletin, Jan. 8, 2026).

In conversations with residents at the Lighthouse I learned there is a mix of those who have lived “on the street,” some who are ex-felons, some are individuals suffering from mental health challenges, and some are recovering alcoholics and former drug addicts. These are people on the edge of polite society. They are in survival mode and their behavior and communication change. Many use the f-word repeatedly in a conversation as a means to emphasize. It becomes de rigueur. Selfishness becomes more prominent. Some individuals retain their kindness for others. Some do not.

Is everybody clean and sober? NO! One morning I witnessed an individual who was obviously high. From his rambling dialogue I was unable to understand what he was saying. My fellow residents at our breakfast table all agreed he was high.

I sought out residents with whom I could have a “normal” conversation. Many had successful careers and hold post-graduate degrees. Like me, they are at the Lighthouse because of a lack of financial resources. They do not suffer from mental health challenges or substance abuse. The need to connect and share my story is what helps me stay sane with a healthy outlook.

The Lighthouse has permanent staff that runs the facility. The kitchen staff has several chefs who prepare healthful and very flavorful meals three times a day. This is one of several things that stand out at this facility. In addition, Case Managers can help you find a job and housing. Further, Peer Support Staff can provide you transportation to a medical appointment, a bank, or other social services that can help you get out of homelessness.

I was fortunate to connect with a supportive Case Manager and a caring member of the Peer Support Staff. I was able to have healthy, productive conversations with them and feel a human connection. Most days I walk to the Deschutes Public Library to escape the toxic environment that is the main room of the Lighthouse, called the dayroom. I need quiet surroundings to read, write, and reflect. And the library is a refuge. Many of the residents of the Lighthouse also visit the library to escape the chaos.

The longer I stayed at the Lighthouse the more I became aware of the dangerous individuals who were residents. This included sexual predators and ex-felons. Some were victims of domestic and sexual abuse. As a low-barrier shelter, they will take nearly everyone. Other shelters in town such as the Bethlehem Inn are high-barrier and the screening and background check are more complex. Low-barrier shelters focus on easy access and keeping people safe and alive, while high-barrier shelters have stricter entry requirements such as sobriety, program participation, and background checks to create a stable environment.

The staff I’ve interacted with most are non-judgmental and treated me with kindness and dignity. I am especially grateful for that. Below are descriptions of a few of the individuals I have met at the shelter. I have changed names to protect their identity.

Daniel, the former technology industry leader from the 1970s and 80s. He plays Solitaire throughout the day.
Robert, the brilliant molecular biologist who worked for several pharmaceutical companies and now spends his time creating herbal medicine formulas to improve cognitive and immune function.
John, the instructor who taught psychology at Stanford University.
Jane, who worked as an executive assistant for powerful business executives.
Sarah, who has a faraway look in her eyes and is mainly non-verbal. When encountered with a question she can flash a charming smile.
Dan, covered in black hair and a bushy beard, is mostly non-verbal and loves to eat and mumbles to himself.
Betsy, a dramatic woman, loves to draw attention to herself.
Jocelyn, a gray-haired woman in a wheelchair who wants to be independent in all her actions.
Wally, who worked in the paper mill and construction industries and can operate any piece of heavy equipment or machinery in a mill.

I think many in our society have an outdated image of the homeless population. Not too long ago I thought of the homeless as mostly mentally ill. Today, we know it as a blend of young and old, comprised of all ethnic backgrounds, a mix of blue collar and white collar workers, and those with a college education and/or post-graduate degrees. Do I have a solution? No. My job is illuminate the current situation I see in Central Oregon. My simple advice is be well and take care of your neighbors and friends.

This article appears in the Source February 12, 2026.