JH's story
'If you have the want and the will, you can overcome'
JH finds stability at Thayer Family Foundation Veterans Shelter
Over a decade ago, while living in Florida, “JH” was injured in a serious car crash. Doctors prescribed him opiate painkillers to help him deal with intense pain and a challenging rehabilitation. That’s when JH’s experience with addiction began.
JH’s addiction strained his relationships with his family and children. He moved across the country to the Pacific Northwest in pursuit of work that could help him support his family from afar.
But JH soon received a wake-up call: He visited a doctor who told him he could lose his life if his addiction continued. It was then he realized he had no choice but to get sober.
“I’ve lost friends and family through my addiction. I want my family back,” he said. “I want my kids to be able to look at their dad and see he’s made something of himself. I want a better connection with them.”
JH chose to do something about it, entering Portland Rescue Mission’s recovery program. After six weeks, JH was able to secure a bed at Do Good Multnomah’s Thayer Family Foundation Veterans Shelter.
The services at the shelter, which began welcoming participants in spring 2026, are funded with Supportive Housing Services dollars and fill a gap long identified by Do Good Multnomah: an accountability-focused recovery environment for veterans experiencing homelessness.
“There isn’t anything [else] like this out there right now,” said U.S. Navy veteran and Do Good Multnomah Case Manager Matthew Harvey when the shelter was announced. “Having a recovery community, especially one that’s veteran-centered, is something that would have changed everything for me when I was going through my struggles.”
JH, a veteran newly in recovery who desired shared accountability, knew that the environment was exactly what he needed.
“Staff always check on you, they always ask about your day — it’s friendly,” he said. “There’s a lot of questions about how treatment is going. It’s a great group of people. I don’t feel judged.”
JH secured a job within just a few weeks of living at the shelter and has saved up enough money for a car. Most importantly to him, he’s reconnected with some of his family.
JH has also found value in the community at the shelter. Like the staff, the participants are quick to check in on each other. Whether it’s over a game of dominoes, an evening meal or a cigarette, he’s found a group of people he can lean on.
“I really wanted it this time,” JH said of his recovery. “If you have the want and the will, you can overcome.”
